Manuel Francisco dos Santos - Garrincha

Manuel Francisco dos Santos, widely known as Garrincha, was a Brazilian football legend born on October 28, 1933, and he passed away on January 20, 1983. Here's a summary of his remarkable career:

• Position: Right Winger
• Nickname: Mané Garrincha ("little bird")

Career Achievements:

• World Cup Success:
  • Played a crucial role in Brazil's 1958 and 1962 World Cup victories.
  • In 1962, with Pelé injured, Garrincha led Brazil to another World Cup triumph.
  • Achieved the unique distinction of winning the Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament), Golden Boot (Leading Goalscorer), and the World Cup in the same tournament.
  • Named in the World Cup All-Star Teams for both the 1958 and 1962 World Cups.
  • Brazil never lost a match when both Garrincha and Pelé were in the lineup.

• Individual Honors:
  • In 1994, he was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team.
  • Ranked seventh in the FIFA Player of the Century grand jury vote in 1999.

• Legacy and Recognition:
  • Regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and one of the greatest dribblers in football history.
  • Member of the World Team of the 20th Century.
  • Inducted into the Brazilian Football Hall of Fame.
  • Due to his immense popularity in Brazil, he was affectionately called "Alegria do Povo" (People's Joy) and "Anjo de Pernas Tortas" (Bent-Legged Angel).

• Club Career:
  • Played the majority of his professional career for the Brazilian team Botafogo.
  • The home team room in the Maracanã Stadium is named after him, known as "Garrincha."
  • The Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília is named in his honor.

• Cultural Impact:
  • Credited for inspiring the first use of bullfighting chants of "olé" at football grounds.

Garrincha's impact on Brazilian football, his extraordinary skills, and his contributions to the success of the national team have left an enduring legacy. His name is synonymous with joy and brilliance on the football pitch.

Early Life:

• Birth: Garrincha, whose real name was Manuel Francisco dos Santos, was born in Pau Grande, a district of Magé, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1933.
• Physical Challenges: At birth, he faced physical challenges as his right leg was 6 centimeters shorter than his left. Additionally, his left leg turned outwards, while his right turned inwards. One doctor even certified him as crippled during his childhood due to these conditions.
• Family Background: Garrincha's father struggled with alcoholism, particularly consuming cachaça heavily, a habit that Garrincha would later inherit. Despite facing challenges, Garrincha was known for his carefree attitude.
• Nickname: Due to his small size compared to other kids and his sister Rosa's observation, he earned the nickname "Garrincha," which refers to the wren, a little brown bird in the northeastern region of Brazil. This name became widely adopted, and by the age of four, he was known as Garrincha to family and friends. He was also referred to as "Mané" (short for Manuel) by his friends.
• Late Entry to Professional Football: Despite being recognized by football scouts, Garrincha did not enter professional football until his late teens. He initially showed no interest in pursuing a professional career, despite his exceptional talent.
• Family Connection to Football: Garrincha's younger brother, Jimmy dos Santos, also had a stint in professional football, playing 20 games for the Série A side CR Vasco da Gama in 1959.

Garrincha's early life was marked by physical challenges and family struggles, but his talent and carefree attitude would eventually lead him to become one of the greatest footballers in history.

Club Career of Garrincha;

• Botafogo (1953-1965):
  • Garrincha joined Botafogo in 1953, already married and a parent.
  • Initially, team officials were pleased to discover that he was over 18 and could be treated as a professional player.
  • In his first training session, he impressed by dribbling the ball through the legs of Nílton Santos, a Brazilian international defender.
  • Santos, impressed with Garrincha's skills, recommended Botafogo sign him.
  • Garrincha made his first-team debut against Bonsucesso on July 19, 1953, scoring a hat trick.
  • Despite the brilliant performances, he wasn't selected for the 1954 World Cup squad.
  • Helped Botafogo win the Campeonato Carioca in 1957, scoring 20 goals in 26 games.
  • Named to the 1958 World Cup squad after his outstanding club performances.
  • After the 1962 World Cup, he led Botafogo to victory in the 1962 Campeonato Carioca final against Flamengo.
  • Played for Botafogo for 12 years, scoring 232 goals in 581 matches.

• Later Years and Transfers (1966-1971):
  • In 1966, as his career declined, Garrincha was sold to Corinthians.
  • Two years later, he joined Colombian team Atlético Junior.
  • Returned to Brazil in the same year, signing for Flamengo and staying until 1969.
  • In 1971, there were rumors of him joining French club Red Star, but he didn't sign and remained in Brazil.

• Entertainer on the Field:
  • Known for his entertaining dribbling skills, Garrincha inspired the first bullfighting chants of "olé" at football grounds.
  • During a 1958 club game for Botafogo against River Plate, he gave a footballing lesson to defender Vairo, earning cheers from the crowd.

• Later Years and Transfer Attempts:
  • Garrincha's professional career as a footballer lasted until 1972, playing for Olaria, but he participated in occasional exhibition matches until 1982.
  • Despite numerous attempts by European clubs like Juventus, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan, he remained with Botafogo and later played for other Brazilian teams.

Garrincha's club career was marked by his brilliance with Botafogo, where he became a symbol of the club's history, winning titles and leaving a lasting impact.

International Career of Garrincha:

1955-1966:

• Garrincha played 50 international matches for Brazil between 1955 and 1966.
• He was a starter for Brazil in the 1958, 1962, and 1966 World Cups.
• Brazil lost only one match with him on the pitch, against Hungary at the 1966 World Cup.

1958 World Cup:

• Garrincha scored one of his most famous goals against Fiorentina just before the 1958 World Cup finals.
• Despite initial concerns about his style of play, he made his debut in the third match against the USSR, forming a historic partnership with Pelé.
• Brazil won the match 2-0, with Garrincha's impressive performance.
• In the final against Sweden, Garrincha set up goals for Vavá, securing Brazil's first World Cup trophy.
• Garrincha was one of the best players of the tournament, voted to the "Best XI."

1958-1962:

• After the 1958 World Cup, Garrincha faced personal challenges, including weight gain and off-field issues.
• He was dropped from the national team for a friendly match against England in 1959.
• In the 1962 World Cup, he played a crucial role after Pelé's injury, excelling against England and Chile, scoring 4 goals in those two matches.
• Brazil won the tournament, and Garrincha was voted the player of the tournament.

1966 World Cup:

• Despite struggles with match fitness and a knee injury, Garrincha played in the 1966 World Cup.
• He scored a goal in the opening match against Bulgaria.
• Brazil lost to Hungary in Garrincha's last international match, the only time he lost with the national team.
• Brazil was eliminated in the first round of the tournament.

Retirement from Professional Football:

• In 1973, at the age of 40, Garrincha decided to retire from professional football.
• A farewell match was held on December 19, 1973, at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, featuring a FIFA World team against Brazil.
• Garrincha started the match and received the crowd's respects, doing a lap around the pitch before leaving through the stadium's tunnel.

Garrincha's international career was marked by his significant contributions to Brazil's World Cup victories and his unique style of play.

References;

1. Assaf, Roberto; Martins, Clóvis (1997). Campeonato carioca: 96 anos de história, 1902-1997 (in Portuguese). Irradiação Cultural.
2. Unzelte, Celso (2005). Almanaque do Timão (in Portuguese). Ed. Abril.
3. "Bad boy Garrincha remembered". Reuters article on rediff.com. Retrieved 28 October 2005.
4. "International Football Hall of Fame – Garrincha". Ifhof.com. 28 October 1933. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
5. "Top 10 Football Players of All Time - Garrincha". sportskeeda. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
6. "Remembering the genius of Garrincha"[permanent dead link]. BBC. Retrieved 8 December 2013
7. "FIFA Player of the Century" (PDF). touri.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
8. World All-Time Teams. rsssf.org. Retrieved 9 May 2014