This Day in History: 2022-11-14

Nr. 343

PELÉ AND GARRINCHA TEAM UP (1958)

On 15 June 1958 the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg witnessed the coming together of two of football’s greatest ever players, Pelé and Garrincha, when Brazil faced the Soviet Union in the group stage of the World Cup. By the time the pair were parted eight years later Brazil had won two World Cups and while they played in the same side their country never lost a single game.
The 24-year-old Garrincha, who had won his first cap for Brazil three years earlier, had an unrivalled ability to glide past defenders with his pace and trickery. The Botofogo winger was the king of the dribble, perversely helped by a childhood illness that had left him with curved legs and which made him able to change direction quickly and swerve past opponents at will.
Destined to be recognized as the greatest player of all time, Pelé had made his debut for Brazil at only 16 years old, but before the World Cup in Sweden he wasn’t yet a regular in the team. However, his incredible all-round talents effectively forced the Brazilian coach Vicente Feola to throw the Santos man into the action – and he didn’t disappoint.
It has long been rumoured that the rest of the squad put pressure on Feola to play Garrincha and Pelé together, but whatever the truth he chose to use both in Brazil’s third game of the tournament against the Soviets, despite the objections of the team psychologist, who said that neither was ready for exposure at this level. That match was won 2-0 with both goals coming hom Vava, and two weeks later Brazil were world champions.

Brazil’s Vava fires his team’s second goal past USSR goal keeper Lev Yashin as team-mate Pelé celebrates.

The victorious Brazil side.