Garrincha

Garrincha's approach to football was less about strategy and more about pure, unadulterated entertainment. He was the ultimate showman, inspiring the very first 'olé' chants at football grounds during a 1958 club game for Botafogo against River Plate. He so thoroughly tormented defender Vairo, constantly feinting and going past him, that the crowd erupted. In a moment of playful brilliance, Garrincha even 'forgot' the ball and sprinted away, leaving Vairo chasing empty air and the stadium roaring with laughter. This captivating style earned him another beloved nickname: Alegria do Povo, the People's Joy.

Manuel Francisco dos Santos played for Brazil in three World Cups, appearing in 50 international matches between 1955 and 1966. Famously, Brazil lost only one match with him on the pitch. In 1958, he made his World Cup debut alongside a young Pelé against the formidable USSR. The opening minutes of that game, with Garrincha hitting the post and Pelé the crossbar, are still spoken of as 'the best three minutes of football of all time'. Brazil went on to win its first World Cup, with Garrincha a key player.

The 1962 FIFA World Cup, however, truly cemented his legend. When Pelé suffered an injury in the second match and was sidelined for the rest of the tournament, it was Garrincha who stepped into the void. He carried Brazil to victory with a series of dominating performances. Against England in the quarter-finals, he scored with a header, then delivered a curved 'banana shot' into the net to secure a 3-1 win. The British press described him as 'Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney and a snake charmer all rolled into one'.

He followed this with two more goals in the semi-final against hosts Chile, prompting the Chilean newspaper El Mercurio to ask: 'What planet is Garrincha from?' Despite being sent off in that match, a controversial decision that was later overturned, he played in the final against Czechoslovakia, leading Brazil to a 3-1 victory. He was named player of the tournament, the leading goalscorer, and lifted the World Cup trophy – the first player ever to achieve all three in a single tournament.

Garrincha never truly bothered with the finer points of footballing protocol. After winning the 1958 World Cup, he was initially confused, thinking the competition was more like a league and that Brazil would play all the teams twice. His disinterest in the mechanics of the game, paired with his unparalleled talent, made him a truly unique figure. He played the majority of his career for Botafogo, becoming a symbol of the club's history. Today, the home team room at Rio's Maracanã Stadium bears his name, as does the grand Estádio Nacional in Brasília. Garrincha’s final exhibition match was played in 1982, a year before his passing, leaving behind the memory of a player who turned every game into a joyful, unforgettable dance.