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Caught In Time
Featured
in the back of the Sports section of the Sunday Times,
the Caught in Time
series features a picture of a famous team, offers a
profile of each player, and answers the question 'Where
are they now?'.
Brazil
beat Italy 4-1 to win the 1970 World Cup in Mexico
by
Rodrigo Mattos
Tostão was recalled, but had to change the way
he played. "In the qualifying games I was
responsible for the goals, but in the World Cup, I began
to make passes," he says. This was especially
evident in Brazil's match against England. "I
decided to try an individual play, and managed lo put the
ball between the legs of Bobby Moore and made a pass to
Pele, who gave it to Jairzinho, who scored." Brazil
won 1-0.
Uruguay were seen off 3-1 in the semifinal - the game in
which Pele almost scored from the halfway line - to set
up a final against Italy. Before the final, Tostão
remembers how tense the players were: "We knew it
was the most important thing in our lives." Brazil
were simply irresistible and brushed aside a good Italy
team 4-1. Afterwards, Pelé was carried from the pitch by
his exultant teammates.
"We knew we had the best team," says Tostão.
"It was a relief. All the suffering had gone away,
and we had a feeling of
fulfilment." The only downside was that he lost his
shirt when supporters invaded the field 10 celebrate.
1 Carlos Alberto Torres (Santos)
Brazilians still call him The Captain. "It is
ours," he said after lifting Ihe Jules Rimet trophy.
Scored the fourth goal in ihe final, one of eight in his
58 games for Brazil. He played for Sanios, Botafogo,
Flamengo and Fluminense, before finishing his career in
the US in 1982, Aged 59, he is the coach of Azerbaijan
2 Hercules Brito
Brilo was a rock in defence. The right-back was in superb
physical condition in Mexico. He had a fearsome
reputation and a short fuse, but he kept his temper in
check during the World Cup. He played 45 times for his
country, and spent his club career with Flamengo and
Vasco, He retired in 1979, when he was 40, and started
coaching children in Rio de Janeiro 3 Gerson de Olhreira
Nunes
3 Gérson de Oliveira (Star
Players of Mexico 1970)
Known as the "parrot" because he never stopped
talking on the pitch. In the final, he scored the goal
that put Brazil in front after Iialy had equalised Pele's
opener. Afterwards he shed many tears — he had been
written off after a poor World Cup in 1966, and felt he
had a point to prove. The midfielder won 70 caps scoring
14 goals. His career took him to Botafogo, Sao Paulo,
Flamengo and Fluminense. He is 63, and works as a radio
broadcaster
4 Wilson Piazza
Piazza played centre-half for his club, Cruzeiro, but
Zagallo converted him to left-back after Baldochi was
injured. The press doubted thai he was good enough, but
the team's defence actually improved. He later moved back
to the middle for the 1974 World Cup. Piazza was capped
51 times and retired in 1977 after a long career wilh
Cruzeiro, with whom he won the Liberta-dores Cup. He
became director of a former players' association in Belo
Horizonte
5 Everaldo
Only a few months before the World Cup, Everaldo was on
Ihe bench, kept out of ihe team by Marco Anionio. But
Zagallo look exception to Antonio's off-the-ficld
behaviour, so Everaldo was given his chance at left-half.
Before the final, the Italy striker Sandro Mazzola
criticised the Brazil defence, saying it was weak. His
commems inspired Everaldo, who jjii,,d superbly. He won
29 caps i.,,u spent most of his career at Gremio. I le
died in a car crash in 1974, having retired from football
and entered politics
6 Tostão
Played in midfield for his club. Cruzeiro, but was a star
up front for his country, scoring 31 goals in 53
internationals. After Mexico, he moved to Vasco, but he
suffered eye problems and was forced to retire at the age
of 26. He studied medicine and became a doctor, but in
the 1990s he changed careers again, and at 57 is a highly
respected sports journalist
7 Clodoaldo (Star
Players of Mexico 1970)
A 20-year-old centre-half who could read the game and was
comfortable on the ball, as well as being a fearless
tackier. When Brail were struggling againsi Uruguay in
the semi-final, Clodoaldo changed position with Gerson
and scored the equaliser from Tostao's pass. He later
described it as the
most important goal of his life. He also played in the
1974 World Cup and made 53 appearances for his country,
scoring three goals. He spent his entire career with
San-tos, and retired in 1978. He is a Santos director
8 Roberto Rivelino (Corinthians)
Famous for a thunderbolt left fool. In 1968, after a
match againsi Brazil, Franz Becken-bauer said: "1
came to see Pele, but I ended up looking at
Rivelino." Although he played in midfield for
Corinthians, he had to play on the left flank for Brazil.
He played 92 games for his country, scoring 26 goals. He
retired in 1981, in Saudi Arabia, and turned to
broadcasting. He now teaches children to play football
9 Pelé (Star Players of Mexico 1970 and
Santos)
Incredibly, before the competition there were arguments
about whether he was still good enough to play for his
country. By the time he left Mexico, he was a hero. He
scored four goals, but his contribution was much greater
than that. After the final he sought out a journalist who
had criticised his choice and said: "I just wanted
to prove
I was good enough to be in the learn, that I could be in
the team. Lei me give you a hug," For the record,
Pele played 92 internationals, scoring 77 goals. During
his career, which took in Sanios and a spell in the
United Stales, he scored 1,279 goals. Aged 64, he is an
ambassador for the game and is heavily involved in
charity work
10 Jairzino (Star
Players of Mexico 1970)
He was strong and fast, and scored seven goals in Mexico,
including the one that beat England. He scored the third
goal in the final and played brillianlly, just as he did
in so many of his 81 matches for his country, during
which he scored 33 times. Jairzinho played for Botafogo
before moving to Olympique Marseille in 1975. He retired
in 1982 to become a coach and agent. His most famous
discovery is Ronaldo. Now coaching Gabon
11 Félix Venerando
Secured his place in 1969 and was 32 when the World Cup
began. In the semi-final, againsi Uruguay, he failed to
save a soft shot from Cubillas. He was also at fault for
Italy's goal. In all, he played 47 times for his country.
He played for Fluminense until 1973. He became a car
salesman in Sao Paulo and is retired
From The
Sunday Times 13 June, 2004, p. 30
Sports Section.
See 1970 Mexico Brazilian
squad.
Return to
the Caught In Time Index
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