With Pele, Jairzinho and captain Carlos
Alberto, who died on Tuesday, the Brazil team that won the 1970 World
Cup was one of the greatest ever.
The team of glittering talent ended up
as businessmen, trying to get into politics, running charities or met a
tragic end like Everaldo who died in a car crash. Here is what happened
to the team of 1970:
Felix
Much-criticised before the 1970 World
Cup finals, goalkeeper Felix was well protected by his defence and
emerged as one of the heroes from the 4-1 victory in the final over
Italy. He went on to win more than 40 caps for Brazil and five national
titles with Fluminense. He later became a salesman of cars and fridges
and also lectured about football. A heavy smoker, he died of emphysema
aged 74 in 2012.
Carlos Alberto
Just leading Brazil in their greatest
triumph and scoring the magical fourth goal in the final has ensured
that Carlos Alberto, who died of a heart attack on Tuesday aged 72, will
go down in history.
The right-back left Santos in 1974 to
return to his first club Fluminense, then joined Flamengo and saw out
his career at the New York Cosmos with Pele. After working as a coach in
Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Nigeria and Azerbaijan, he retired in 2005
and became a television pundit. He is now known as “the eternal
captain”.
Hercules Brito
The tall centre-back had a short temper
which he controlled for the World Cup finals. He earned 45 Brazil caps
between 1964 and 1972 and played for about 10 different clubs —
including Vasco da Gama, Flamengo and Corinthians as well as in Canada
and Venezuela before retiring in 1979 at the age of 40. He has since
stayed out of the public eye.
Wilson Piazza
Piazza played for Cruzeiro between 1964
and 1979 and 47 times for Brazil with the 1970 World Cup his highlight
though he was also at the 1974 finals. Brito later built up a chain of
petrol stations and tried to get into local politics.
Everaldo
A tough and talented left-back, though
he had been an international since 1967, coach Mario Zagallo gave
Everaldo his big chance at the 1970 finals. A lynchpin for his Gremio
club, Everaldo won 24 caps up to 1974 and was only on the losing side
once. He tried to enter politics upon retiring but was killed in a car
crash with his wife and a daughter in October 1974.
Clodoaldo
Clodoaldo inspired Brazil’s revival when
they fell behind to Uruguay in the semi-final but went on to win 3-1.
He also dribbled past four Italians in the build-up to Carlos Alberto’s
much-remembered strike in the final. He played at Santos with Pele.
Since stopping playing Clodoaldo has dabbled in property while remaining
a Santos director and advisor to the national team.
Gerson
Though Carlos Alberto was the captain,
Gerson was the midfield mastermind, known as “The Parrot” because he
never stopped talking on the pitch. He was also one of the greatest
passers in international football. Gerson’s father and uncle were
professional footballers and he won 70 caps for Brazil including at the
1966 and 1970s World Cups. After giving up he started an institute to
help poor children — including with their football skills — and is still
a radio and television analyst.
Rivelino
The left winger was famous for his
moustache and his dribble – the ‘elastico’ – that confounded opponents
during a 20-year career that included 92 internationals and almost 700
appearances for Corinthians, Fluminense and Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. He
scored three goals at the 1970 finals including an incredible bending
free-kick against Czechoslovakia. Rivelino also played in the 1974 and
1978 World Cup finals and is still a football commentator with fellow
legend Zico.
Pele
For many, the greatest footballer ever
with his swerving skills. He scored four goals in the 1970 finals,
produced one of the greatest saves ever from England’s Gordon Banks in
another game and tried an audacious lob from the halfway line against
Czechoslovakia that only narrowly failed. He was named player of the
tournament in his fourth and final World Cup. After finishing his career
with the New York Cosmos, Pele has been a sports minister as well as an
ambassador for the United Nations and corporate big names. Now 76, he
has been ailing in recent months, in and out of hospital, and walks with
a cane.
Tostao
The final piece of Brazil’s feared
attack, Tostao almost missed the 1970 finals because of a detached
retina suffered when hit in the face with a ball. But he formed a
brilliant partnership with Pele before retiring in 1973 at the age of 26
because of another eye problem. Tostao is now a doctor but also a
respected sports journalist.
Jairzinho
The only player to have scored a goal in
every match of a World Cup finals, Jairzinho was Brazil’s top scorer in
1970 with seven goals in six games. He scored 33 goals in 81
internationals and played more than 400 games for Botafogo before moving
to Marseille in France. After football, he tried to become mayor of Rio
but his candidacy was cancelled because he did not pay the fees. He
also trains young footballers and is credited with discovering Brazil’s
Ronaldo in the 1990s.
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