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Zagallo (center) shoots on goal during the 1962 World Cup. — © AP
Brazilian football legend Mário Zagallo has died at the age of 92. As a player and coach, he is the only person to have won the World Cup four times.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo, our all-time four-time world champion.” With this message on Instagram, the relatives of the 92-year-old Brazilian football legend announced the death of the man who was “The Old Wolf” and “The “Professor” was called.
Just like Pelé, who died in 2022, Zagallo is a true folk hero in Brazil. He was known for his patriotism and liked to say that he was “born with victory on his side.” He played a key role in four of the Selecao’s five World Cup titles. First, he triumphed as a 27-year-old left winger at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden – with 17-year-old Pelé at his side.
Four years later, he was part of the team that won Brazil’s second World Cup title at the tournament in Chile. Through a few tactical adjustments he managed to secure his place: As a left winger, he defended on the opponent’s wing, which was unusual for attackers at the time.
Success as a coach
In 1970 Zagallo took his place in the dugout. Then he won the World Cup in Mexico with arguably the most famous Brazilian team of all time, thanks to players like Pele, Jairzinho and Rivellino. As assistant coach to Carlos Alberto Parreira, he repeated this trick in the USA in 1994.
Zagallo also sat on the bench at the 1974 World Cup (as head coach) and 2006 (as assistant). Then Brazil failed in the semi-finals and quarter-finals. In 1998, Zagallo even came close to a fifth world title. Then Brazil lost in the final to its home country France. Star player Ronaldo suffered cramps a few hours before the game.
In the history of football, no one is currently doing better than the four World Cup titles that Zagallo helped to achieve. In addition, only the German Franz Beckenbauer and the French Didier Deschamps managed to win the most important football tournament for national teams both as a player and as a coach.
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