AngryPaul
22-01-2008, 02:50 PM
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44366000/jpg/_44366791_garrincha270.jpg
Manuel Francisco dos Santos, or Garrincha as he was known, is often overlooked in terms of legendary Brazilian footballers. He may not have been part of the famous 1970 Brazil side, but FIFA consider him second only to Pele as the greatest player the illustrious country has produced.
'The Angel with Bent Legs' was nicknamed so due to being born with a deformed spine, a right leg bent inwards and a left leg six centimeters shorter and curved outward. Most people would comment that, on first glance of Garrincha, you would think he would have truoble standing let alone playing football. Luckily for world football, this was not true. In fact, it was probably his unconventional legs that helped him develop the ability to turn with such speed to create precious space.
As the 25th anniversary of his death passes, I look back at why world football should pay tribute to yet another brilliant, yet troubled player.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44366000/jpg/_44366793_garrincha_hopkins203.jpg
Garrincha began, like most Brazilian players, playing with friends in the streets. It was here that we can assume he nutured his playful, childlike style of play. In fact, his pleasure at running rings around opposition players was so much that often the end product seemed unimportant to him. In fact, during one game, they say he "bamboozled his marker so much, the defender fell to the floor as Garrincha ran past him. Instead of carrying on, Garrincha dribbled back to his opponent, picked him up off the turf and then carried on down the wing."1 However, these skills took longer than most to reach the professional game. He was well known to scouts who would always dismiss him because of his deformities. He was eventually given a trial by Botafogo. When he dribbled past Nilton Santos, a Brazillian international centre-back, that he was given a chance. And take that chane he did, smashing a hat-trick on his debut in 1950. He missed out on the 1954 World Cup, but his dribbling skills improved vastly in the next few years, securing him a call up in 1955.
This skill, and goalscoring exploits for his team, made him a valued asset for the Brazilian national team (They only lost one game when he played) In 1958 Brazil travlled to Sweden for the World Cup finals, with a 17-year-old Pele in tow. Brazil proceeded to stamp their authroity on the game, with Garrincha a key figure. Wales left-back Mel Hopkins, who faced Garrincha in the quarter-finals said "It was difficult to know which way he was going to go because of his legs"2 Garrincha's mazy dribbling and pinpoint crosses led to many vital goals including the equaliser that got Brazil back into the final against Sweden. Garrincha was named in the Best XI for the 1958 World Cup, but he wasn't as impressed as his team-mates. As they celebrated their win, he sat there bemused, thinking it was a league format and they had to play everyone twice.3
Despite the sporting triumphs of Brazillian Championships, World Cups and countless individual awards, Garrincha feel into the footsteps of his father and became dependant on alcohol very early on in his career. Yet it was not just this that led to his downfall as one of the many jewels in Brazil's crown. His unwavering attitude to the opposite sex also got the better of him. After being married and a parent before turning 19, Garrincha fathered eight daughters with his childhood sweetheart. He then caused a storm by leaving her and moving in with Elza Soares, a famous samba singer who as also divorced. For this decision, Garrincha was "cast as a villain by the same press that had once feted him"3 Throw in countless affairs and Garrincha is rumoured to have fathered over 14 children.
After sealing the 1962 World Cup, Garrincha was a footballing superstar, and he knew it. He lavishly spent his money on friends, mistresses and his ever increasing family. His partying effected his football and, combined with a long-term kee injury hampering his pace, he wasn't the force to be reckoned with people expected by the time 1966 rolled around. With Pele kicked out of the tournament, Brazil's hopes rested with Garrincha. He failed to deliver. Brazil were knocked out by 3-1 Hungary. The only time he finished on a losing side in 60 games for his country. His career was effectively over, but he buonced around Europe and South America trying to prolong, most probably for financial reasons more than anything. his drinking became heavier as the pressures to keep supporting his family and friends continued.
He was involved in many car crashes, with one running over his own alcoholic father and another which killed his mother-in-law. The latter only served as reason to delve deeper into alcoholic dependancy. After being responsible for her mother's death and striking her in a drunken rage, samba dancer Soares threw him out and they divorced in 1977.
Six years later, on the 20th of January 1983, Garrincha, aged 49, died of liver disease. Just 21 years after being recognised as one of the best talents on the planet, he was unrecognisable.
Yet the anniversary of his death gives us reason to remember the good times. We shuoldn't remember his life as cut short or dominated by drink. We should remember his achievements, his mazy skills and the joy he gave the world. We shuold remember him as, as his gravestone says, 'The Joy of The People'.
REFERENCES
1: "Remembering the genius of Garrincha (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7197754.stm)" Stevenson, Johnathan [BBC Sport, 2008]
2: please see 1
3: "Garrincha: Biography (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrincha#Biography)" Various Contributors [Wikipedia, 2008]
4: please see 1
Manuel Francisco dos Santos, or Garrincha as he was known, is often overlooked in terms of legendary Brazilian footballers. He may not have been part of the famous 1970 Brazil side, but FIFA consider him second only to Pele as the greatest player the illustrious country has produced.
'The Angel with Bent Legs' was nicknamed so due to being born with a deformed spine, a right leg bent inwards and a left leg six centimeters shorter and curved outward. Most people would comment that, on first glance of Garrincha, you would think he would have truoble standing let alone playing football. Luckily for world football, this was not true. In fact, it was probably his unconventional legs that helped him develop the ability to turn with such speed to create precious space.
As the 25th anniversary of his death passes, I look back at why world football should pay tribute to yet another brilliant, yet troubled player.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44366000/jpg/_44366793_garrincha_hopkins203.jpg
Garrincha began, like most Brazilian players, playing with friends in the streets. It was here that we can assume he nutured his playful, childlike style of play. In fact, his pleasure at running rings around opposition players was so much that often the end product seemed unimportant to him. In fact, during one game, they say he "bamboozled his marker so much, the defender fell to the floor as Garrincha ran past him. Instead of carrying on, Garrincha dribbled back to his opponent, picked him up off the turf and then carried on down the wing."1 However, these skills took longer than most to reach the professional game. He was well known to scouts who would always dismiss him because of his deformities. He was eventually given a trial by Botafogo. When he dribbled past Nilton Santos, a Brazillian international centre-back, that he was given a chance. And take that chane he did, smashing a hat-trick on his debut in 1950. He missed out on the 1954 World Cup, but his dribbling skills improved vastly in the next few years, securing him a call up in 1955.
This skill, and goalscoring exploits for his team, made him a valued asset for the Brazilian national team (They only lost one game when he played) In 1958 Brazil travlled to Sweden for the World Cup finals, with a 17-year-old Pele in tow. Brazil proceeded to stamp their authroity on the game, with Garrincha a key figure. Wales left-back Mel Hopkins, who faced Garrincha in the quarter-finals said "It was difficult to know which way he was going to go because of his legs"2 Garrincha's mazy dribbling and pinpoint crosses led to many vital goals including the equaliser that got Brazil back into the final against Sweden. Garrincha was named in the Best XI for the 1958 World Cup, but he wasn't as impressed as his team-mates. As they celebrated their win, he sat there bemused, thinking it was a league format and they had to play everyone twice.3
Despite the sporting triumphs of Brazillian Championships, World Cups and countless individual awards, Garrincha feel into the footsteps of his father and became dependant on alcohol very early on in his career. Yet it was not just this that led to his downfall as one of the many jewels in Brazil's crown. His unwavering attitude to the opposite sex also got the better of him. After being married and a parent before turning 19, Garrincha fathered eight daughters with his childhood sweetheart. He then caused a storm by leaving her and moving in with Elza Soares, a famous samba singer who as also divorced. For this decision, Garrincha was "cast as a villain by the same press that had once feted him"3 Throw in countless affairs and Garrincha is rumoured to have fathered over 14 children.
After sealing the 1962 World Cup, Garrincha was a footballing superstar, and he knew it. He lavishly spent his money on friends, mistresses and his ever increasing family. His partying effected his football and, combined with a long-term kee injury hampering his pace, he wasn't the force to be reckoned with people expected by the time 1966 rolled around. With Pele kicked out of the tournament, Brazil's hopes rested with Garrincha. He failed to deliver. Brazil were knocked out by 3-1 Hungary. The only time he finished on a losing side in 60 games for his country. His career was effectively over, but he buonced around Europe and South America trying to prolong, most probably for financial reasons more than anything. his drinking became heavier as the pressures to keep supporting his family and friends continued.
He was involved in many car crashes, with one running over his own alcoholic father and another which killed his mother-in-law. The latter only served as reason to delve deeper into alcoholic dependancy. After being responsible for her mother's death and striking her in a drunken rage, samba dancer Soares threw him out and they divorced in 1977.
Six years later, on the 20th of January 1983, Garrincha, aged 49, died of liver disease. Just 21 years after being recognised as one of the best talents on the planet, he was unrecognisable.
Yet the anniversary of his death gives us reason to remember the good times. We shuoldn't remember his life as cut short or dominated by drink. We should remember his achievements, his mazy skills and the joy he gave the world. We shuold remember him as, as his gravestone says, 'The Joy of The People'.
REFERENCES
1: "Remembering the genius of Garrincha (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7197754.stm)" Stevenson, Johnathan [BBC Sport, 2008]
2: please see 1
3: "Garrincha: Biography (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrincha#Biography)" Various Contributors [Wikipedia, 2008]
4: please see 1