Mario Lobo Zagallo, legend of Brazilian football and holder of a unique record at the World Cup, has died

The Brazilian legend and only four-time world champion in football, Mario Lobo Zagallodied this Friday at the age of 92, it was confirmed in a note published on his official Instagram account.

“With enormous sadness, we inform you of the passing of our eternal four-time world champion Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo”we read in the short statement on the death of the idol.

“A devoted father, a loving grandfather, a loving father-in-law, a faithful friend, a victorious professional and a great human being. A great idol. A patriot who leaves us a legacy of great achievements,” the statement added.

The cause of his death was not revealed.

Zagallo, the only one to participate in four of the five World Cups won by Brazil – two titles as a player and another two as coach and technical assistant – He had been hospitalized in August in Rio de Janeiro for a urinary tract infection.

But the former Seleção striker had already had other recent health problems.

After the death of Pele In December 2022, he was hospitalized for almost two weeks with a respiratory infection.

As a left winger, Old Wolf was part of the Brazilian team that won the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, along with Hours Pelé, the first two relaunched by Canarinha.

He was also coach of Brazil in the 1970 title, assistant to the victory of Selection in 1994 and technical in 1998 when the Scratch lost the final against France.

The only other two athletes to have won the World Cup as both a footballer and a coach were the German Franz Beckenbauer (1974 and 1990) and the French Didier Deschamps (1998 and 2018).

The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Ednaldo Rodrigues, decreed official mourning for 7 days for the death of the idol.

“The CBF and Brazilian football mourn the death of one of its greatest legends, Mário Zagallo. The CBF lends solidarity to his family and his fans in this moment of regret for the departure of an idol of our football,” he wrote Rodrigues in a note. .

The South American Football Confederation also mourned the death of the “football legend and only four-time champion” in a post shared on X, formerly Twitter.

This Friday several Brazilian clubs began paying homage to the idol on their official social networks.

“A hero who made the history of Brazilian football left us. Zagallo enters eternity as a historical and revolutionary pillar of sport“reads a note published by the Flamengo club of Rio de Janeiro.

Porto Alegre’s Gremio, meanwhile, said goodbye to the “immortal of the four lines, symbol of Brazilian football”.

“He made the history of our football, as an athlete, coach and leader,” said San Paolo.

“The eternal Zagallo has 13 letters, Our King Pelé awaits you in the sacred kingdom”Santos, the historic team of the ‘king’ of football, wrote on X, the former Twitter, alluding to Zagallo’s preference for that number.

Source: AFP