Brazilian midfielder Socrates Oliveira holds his hand over the emblem of his jersey while Brazil's national anthem plays before their World Cup match in Guadalajara, Mexico in this June 16, 1986 file photo. Socrates wore a headband reading, "People need justice" while the national anthem played. [Photo/Agencies]

Socrates brought down by intestinal infection at age of 57

SAO PAULO, Brazil - Former Brazil captain Socrates died on Sunday aged 57 from an intestinal infection, a spokesperson for the Albert Einstein Hospital announced.

Socrates - who in 1982 captained what is widely regarded as the best Brazil side never to have won the World Cup - was taken to the hospital late on Friday after suffering food poisoning.

The hospital said he had gone into septic shock and placed him on a ventilator and a dialysis machine but he was officially announced dead at 0630 GMT.

He had already been hospitalized twice in August and September this year with bleeding in his digestive tract, and recognized after these incidents he had problems with alcohol, especially during his playing days.

In a recent television interview, Socrates said he had considered alcohol his "companion", adding its regular use did not affect his performance on the soccer field.

"Alcohol did not affect my career, in part because I never had the physical build to play this game," he said.

"Soccer became my profession only when I was already 24," he said. "I was too thin and, when I was young, I did not have the opportunity to prepare myself physically for the sport."

Socrates also played in the 1986 World Cup but was not fully fit and is mainly remembered for missing a penalty in the quarterfinal defeat by France.

At club level he played for Brazilian giant Corinthians (1978-84) and had an unhappy sojourn in Italy with Fiorentina (1984-85).

While at Corinthians he was one of the founders of a movement known as Corinthian Democracy, which formed in the 1980s.

Under its principles, all decisions made by soccer clubs, including the contracting of new players and training schedules, had to be approved by a vote of all members.

Agence France-Presse

People display a flag with an image of Brazil's 1982 World Cup captain Socrates before his funeral ceremony, in front of the cemetery in Ribeirao Preto Dec 4, 2011. Socrates, the 'Golden Heel' renowned as one of the great playmakers of his generation, died in hospital on Sunday of septic shock at the age of 57, his doctors said in a statement. [Photo/Agencies]