Tooj Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Cracking piece taken from the BBC Website dedicated to the flawed genius of the little bird. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7197754.stm At first sight, he looked like he would barely be able to walk. With his right leg pointing inwards and his left leg pointing outwards, Manuel Fransisco dos Santos seemed more destined to end up in a circus than on a football field. But put a ball at his feet, and the man they called Garrincha - the little bird - could just about do anything. On the 25th anniversary of his death, it is right that football remembers the pleasure he gave people and the non-conformity with which he played the game he loved so much. The art form of dribbling might have been invented for the Brazilian, who played with a freedom of spirit and, at times, a reckless disregard for the "end product" that is difficult to fathom in a sport now dominated by results. During one game he is said to have 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. His biographer, Rui Castro, described the man fans called 'the angel with bent legs' as "the most amateur footballer professional football ever produced". Sadly for Garrincha, born in Pau Grande, a province of Rio de Janeiro on 28 October, 1933, this carefree attitude he had to football and life in general caused him many more problems than it did his opponents. For Garrincha was an alcoholic. He was as fond of the local Cachaça as his father, who lost his life to drink. They also both shared more than a passing interest in the opposite sex. Garrincha was married to his childhood sweetheart Nair and she gave birth to eight daughters before he left her in 1965. His decision to move in with Elza Soares, a famous Brazilian samba singer who had also been married before, had Garrincha cast as a villain by the same press that had once feted him. Throw in countless other relationships and Garrincha is believed to have fathered at least 14 children. Despite being unable to get his life into any semblance of order, Garrincha enjoyed remarkable success in his football career. He helped his country to its first two World Cup triumphs in 1958 and 1962, was joint top scorer and named player of the tournament at the second and collected three Rio State Championships with Botafogo to boot. But Garrincha was about so much more than trophies. He helped create the legend of beautiful football, the mythical status which the very name Brazil conjures up around the globe. Before Garrincha and his team-mates arrived at the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden, Brazil were something of a laughing stock in terms of world football. They were considered second-rate even on their own continent, with Uruguay the dominant force having won the first World Cup in 1930 and then, catastrophically for Brazil, beating the hosts in the Maracana in 1950 to claim their second crown. The 1950 defeat on their own patch, dubbed 'The Fateful Final', had caused such long-lasting scars on the Brazilian game that they went to Sweden with a psychologist in tow, a move almost unheard of at the time. They need not have worried. Garrincha was held back until the third game, against the powerful Russians, and in partnership with Didi, Vava and Pele, he destroyed them. They edged past Wales 1-0, thrashed 13-goal Just Fontaine's France 5-2 and then battered Sweden 5-2 in the final in Stockholm to become the first team to win the World Cup outside their own continent. Former Wales international left-back Mel Hopkins, who lined up directly against Garrincha on 19 June, 1958 in Gothenburg in the World Cup quarter-final, described to BBC Sport the force of nature he was up against that day. "When he stood and faced you his legs went one way and his body the other, there's no doubt about it, he could have been declared a cripple. But my God could he play," said Hopkins, who also won the League and FA Cup double with Tottenham in 1961. "He attacked with such pace and I believe he was more of a danger than Pele at the time - he was a phenomenon, capable of sheer magic. "It was difficult to know which way he was going to go because of his legs and because he was as comfortable on his left foot as his right, so he could cut inside or go down the line and he had a ferocious shot too. "Garrincha would have been a real star today, no question about it - a superstar." Garrincha's place as one of football's all-time greats was assured at the 1962 World Cup finals in Chile. When Pele was injured in the second game, Garrincha took on his mantle as leader of the team and his dazzling displays inspired Brazil to their second crown. He scored twice in the quarters against England, twice more in the semis against the hosts and, despite suffering from a fever, helped his side to a 3-1 win over Czechoslovakia in the finals. The player of the tournament was undoubtedly now a superstar - and he acted like one, too. Garrincha spent money like it was going out of fashion on a variety of friends, hangers-on, girlfriends and his ever-increasing family. By the time the 1966 World Cup came around he was a pale imitation of the real Garrincha, a long-term knee injury enough to curb the electric bursts of speed that had once made him so destructive. His last game in a Brazil shirt was their 3-1 defeat by Hungary - the first time he had ever been on the losing side for his country in his 60th appearance. Pele was injured and did not play in that game, meaning the pair of them never finished on the losing team together in yellow and blue. Garrincha's career was effectively over, though he spent many years drifting around both South America and Europe trying to prolong it. He needed money to support his alcoholism and his family, but he also needed work because it was the only time he could lay off the booze. He was involved in several car crashes, running over his own father once, and then, in April 1969, Garrincha smashed into a lorry and his mother-in-law was killed, an incident which only accelerated his drinking. Soares threw him out after he struck her in a drunken rage and they separated in 1977, Garrincha too consumed by alcohol to be of any use to anyone. Six years later on 20 January, 1983 at the age of 49 - just 21 years after he was widely recognised as the greatest footballer on earth - Garrincha died of cirrhosis of the liver, attached to a drip in a Rio hospital. One of the most extraordinary entertainers sport is ever likely to see passed away in misery, penniless and unable to conquer the demons that cut his life so tragically short. Yet the anniversary of his death gives football a chance to pay tribute to one of its greatest sons. Garrincha, the 'joy of the people', must never be forgotten. I made a Garrincha video a while ago, so if anyone is interested drop me a PM and I shall show them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Logic Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 ........During one game he is said to have 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......... Would love to have seen that, skill that stands out a mile is worth watching time and again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Some of the Garrincha videos on youtube look like someone used a computer to add him into stock footage. You can only just sit there and smile. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Like ive always said, many people compare pele and maradona, but a newsflash for most who havn't seen these players. Pele, uncomparable, Garrincha is in level with maradona, if there is someone to be compared with maradona its not Pele. Pele was out of this world, Garrincha is the one to compare, he won a world cup on his own in 62 when Pele got injured in the 2nd group stage match and he did everything that world cup, stopped a match, got red card, picked up a dog who ran into the field, scored passed played with heart and honour. The funniest thing about Garrincha though is when he was interviewed after the 5-2 win against Sweden in 58'. He said'' Is this over now? No second round? Is this all, what a s****** tournament this is-.'' A World Champion and the second best player to ever participate at international level (better then maradona, unfortunately maradona edges him out at the club level), with who drinking took his life away. You can say what you want but this guy was amazing in the final of 58 swedish left back said ''Garrincha does the same dribble every time, he has no imagination he wont go by me tomorrow'' guess what he did that dribble twice over hte left back and both were sent in for an assist to Vava and i think it was Pele. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredbob Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Legend has it he lost his virginity to a goat which was apparently normal in those days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_R Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Legend has it he lost his virginity to a goat which was apparently normal in those days. Garrincha was born in Sunderland? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Parka Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 f****** legend. I only heard about him from a program about half a year ago. Seen bits and bobs of footage, everyyhing I read is kind words. The legendary Swedish guy (Ex player of AC Milan, erm..), from the 1958 world cup says he was out of this world, impossible to take the ball from. Amazing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Fabulous winger who virtually invented the bending free-kick(it was called 'The Falling Leaf'). Felipao is right about him, but he died far too young..will always remember seeing his amazing dribbles on TV when I was a kid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geordie Boot Boy Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Is he the one who had the massive cock? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefaz Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 'For Garrincha was an alcoholic.' Was this written by Alan Oliver? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skirge Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Ginola was pure class when he was here a Toon legend until he left and slagged us off, its a shame but he did create magic here and was a massive part of our exciting football. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tooj Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Ginola was pure class when he was here a Toon legend until he left and slagged us off, its a shame but he did create magic here and was a massive part of our exciting football. mackems.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skirge Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Ginola was pure class when he was here a Toon legend until he left and slagged us off, its a shame but he did create magic here and was a massive part of our exciting football. mackems.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefaz Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Skirge is off his box today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Skirge is gay, way to f*** this thread up mate... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefaz Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Skirge is gay, way to f*** this thread up mate... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skirge Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Skirge is gay, way to f*** this thread up mate... oh aye its totally fkd up like oh no thread destroyed call the coppers.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keefaz Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Skirge is gay, way to f*** this thread up mate... oh aye its totally fkd up like oh no thread destroyed call the coppers.. Stop it! You're making it even worse, ffs! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Skirge is gay, way to f*** this thread up mate... oh aye its totally fkd up like oh no thread destroyed call the coppers.. Skirge i hate you, you see what you did, my best friend of all time now hates me, thanks alot j*** off. Keefaz please stop youre making it even worse now aren't ya? I reckon you're a big boobed strawberry ice cream, or am i wrong huh! Garrincha was the beeeeast! (just so i dont go off topic completely homes, fo shizzle m' nizzle) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skirge Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 These things happen, I;m sure you will get over it in time, after a little therapy maybe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 These things happen, I;m sure you will get over it in time, after a little therapy maybe. Therapy won't help but hopefully a mistress might...wow this is going way to far now... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest elbee909 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 What the hell is a "big boobed strawberry ice cream"? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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