Brazilians bid farewell to the late football icon Mario Zagallo on Sunday, commemorating the passing of the four-time World Cup-winning player and coach at the age of 92, marking the conclusion of an era for one of the country’s most celebrated football generations.
A steady stream of mourners, clad in black attire, the iconic yellow of the Brazilian national team, or the colours representing the clubs Zagallo had been associated with, paid their respects as they passed by his casket at the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, the AFP reported.
Displayed close to the lace-draped coffin were Brazil’s record five World Cup trophies, a symbolic representation of the football-mad nation. Zagallo, a diminutive left-wing known for his tactical prowess, had been a pivotal figure in securing four of these titles, a feat unparalleled in the history of football.
Affectionately referred to as the “Professor,” Zagallo played alongside Pele in Brazil’s victorious World Cup campaigns of 1958 and 1962. His coaching expertise guided the 1970 world champion side, often regarded as one of the greatest teams in history, and he served as assistant coach in Brazil’s triumphant 1994 campaign.
Among those paying their respects were CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues and former Brazil coach Tite.
Zagallo succumbed to multiple organ failure in a Rio hospital on Friday, following a series of health challenges in recent months. The public viewing will be followed by a private mass and burial at Sao Joao Batista cemetery, the final resting place of some of Brazil’s most prominent figures.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declared three days of national mourning, ordering flags across Brazil to fly at half-mast, honouring Zagallo as “one of the greatest football players and coaches of all time.”
Praise and tributes have poured in from the football community. FIFA president Gianni Infantino hailed Zagallo as a “tactical genius,” while World Cup champions Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Romario paid homage. Brazil and Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior simply labelled him a “LEGEND.”
As the last surviving starter from Brazil’s inaugural 1958 World Cup-winning team following Pele’s passing in December 2022, Zagallo leaves a nostalgic void in Brazilian football, especially during these challenging times for the sport.
The recent dismissal of national team coach Fernando Diniz, coupled with Brazil’s disappointing performance in World Cup qualifiers, underscores a far cry from the glory days of Zagallo’s era.
With Brazil currently languishing in sixth place in South American qualifying, the team’s struggles compounded by Neymar’s absence due to injury, the quest for a new coach after the failed bid to recruit Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti remains unresolved.
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