Saturday 20 August 2011

Garrincha

Garrincha biography
REAL NAME:  Manoel Franscico Dos Santos
BORN:  October 28, 1933
COUNTRY: Brazil
NICKNAME:  Little Bird
WORLD CUP APPEARANCES:  11 games
CLUBS: Pau Grande, Botafogo, Corinthians, Barranquilla, Flamengo, Red Star Paris 


INTRODUCTION:  The greatest player as well as joint top-scorer in the 1962 World Cup. Also the best winger in the entire history of the competition.

1958 World Cup - SwedenMore than England's Stanley Matthews, he was the greatest winger in the history of the World Cup.  Garrincha, meaning Little Bird, was a potential match-winner but had a tendency to be very inconsistent.  Feola, the Brazilian coach, was aware of this and did not used him for the first two games.  However, Nilton Santos led a famous player deputation and asked the coach to field Garrincha, his teammate at Botafogo. Feola agreed to use Garrincha, together with a 17-year-old called Pele, in the third game against Yashin's USSR.  The results were spectacular.
Garrincha got off to an explosive start, hitting the post soon after the kick-off.  His continued to tease the Soviet defense from the right wing.   Even the strong European defenders could not provide an answer to his brilliance. Against France in the semi-final, Garrincha played a crucial role in setting up Vava's goal. But Garrincha's greatest performance in his first World Cup was saved for the final.  He was, together with Pele, the best player of an outstanding Brazilian side.

To the surprise of many, Liedholm put Sweden one up. Thereafter, Garrincha was the tormentor of the Swedish defense on the right wing.  He was such an awkward customer, in one move he may take the ball under his close control.  In the next move, he would tease the defenders with his body movements, making even the coolest Swedish defenders to wonder whether it was a feint or not. Then, all out of a sudden, he would accelarate and get pass the one or two defenders marking him, leaving them standing in bewilderment.

And to finish it all off, the Little Bird would provide a deadly, low, accurate cross into the penalty area.  Two such moves gave Brazil a 2-1 lead with Vava linking perfectly with Garrincha's, sliding in one goal after another.  Brazil eventually game out with a handsome 5-2 victory, the other two goals from the emerging Pele.   1962 World Cup - Chile Pele, who played so well four years ago in Sweden, did not quite make the same impact in this World Cup after being sidelined by injury.  Almost single-handley, Garrincha powered Brazil to retain the trophy.  In this tournament, Garrincha unveiled some new weapons to add to his already impressive arsenal, and he used them to destroy England and Chile, the host nation.

In the last group match againt Spain, one of Brazil's toughest opponents, the score remained at 1-1 with only four minutes to go.  Then Garrincha, just like what he did to other European defenses in Sweden, created the match winner for Amarildo and led Brazil into the second round.

Against England, he outjumped the towering Englaish defenders to head in the first goal.  His fierce free-kick then opened way for the second goal, scored by Vava.  To round it all up, he made it 3-1 for Brazil.  It was a moment of magic, he thumped a long-range swerving drive beyond the grasping hand of the hapless goalkeeper.

His next victim was Chile.  He again scored with a tremendous shot outside the penalty area that gave the goalkeeper no chance.  He then again out-jumped the opposing defense to head in the second goal.  After Chile pulled one back through Leonel Sanchez, Garrincha created a third Brazilian goal for Vava with his accurate corner kick.

Towards the end of the match, however, Garrincha was sent off for retaliating the many fouls Chilean committed on him.  But FIFA decided he could still play in the final.  After beating Czechoslovakia 3-1, Garrincha was voted the Player of the Tournament.  He was also joint top-scorer, with 4 goals to his credit.

1966 World Cup - England

Injured in a car accident prior to the 1966 World Cup, the Little Bird was no longer the same force.  In the first match against Bulgaria, he scored with a beautifully flighted free-kick.  In the next match, Brazil was beaten for the first time since 1954 and, ironically, their conqueror was the same nation.  This game turned out to be the last World Cup match Garrincha played.  The 3-1 loss was his first ever defeat in the 49 games he played for Brazil, not even the great Pele could boast such a proud record.
HIS GOALS IN THE WORLD CUP - COMPLETE RECORD
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