Name : Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo
Date of Birth: 9 August 1931
Birthplace: Mac¨¦io, Brazil
None hungrier than Brazil¡¯s lone Wolf, Mario Zagallo

[AFP]

The great history of Brazilian football is inextricably linked with one Mario Zagallo. The ¡®Professor,¡¯ as he is known to his players, is a legend not only in his homeland but in virtually every outpost of Planet Football, having played a role in four of the five FIFA World Cups won by the Sele?ao. And yet, despite once sharing a locker room with such creative geniuses as Pel¨¦, Garrincha , Didi, Vava and Gilmar, Zagallo has often faced the wrath of dissenting voices who deem his style of management too defensive. If there is one thing that silences all the critics, though, it is the long list of honours El Lobo (The Wolf) has accumulated over the years.

Indeed, Zagallo¡¯s fingerprints on four FIFA World Cup trophies speak for themselves. A true icon of the Brazilian game, he won two of them as a player (Sweden 58 and Chile 62), one as national manager (70) and another as assistant manager (94). Only German legend Franz Beckenbauer in the history of world football can match Zagallo¡¯s boast of having been crowned world champion as both a player and a coach.

The most fitting testimonies to his impact come from the players themselves, not least Ronaldo, who has taken time to extol Zagallo¡¯s virtues on more than one occasion. ¡°He was one of the greatest Brazilian players of his generation and, after winning the World Cup four times, he has left a permanent mark on Brazilian football. It is an honour for me to have worked with him,¡± he said.

A great player in his day

Nowadays better known as a legendary manager, Zagallo first made quite a reputation for himself out on the pitch. In the early 1950s, he played amateur football for America Football Club and then Clube de Regatas de Flamengo, where he shone on the left wing. Whatever he lacked in physical stature, Zagallo compensated with exquisite technique and by always being the first man back to defend if his team lost the ball.

His emergence on the professional scene came in 1953, and with Flamengo, followed by Botafogo, Zagallo picked up five Rio de Janeiro State titles (cariocas) before becoming an ever-present fixture in the Sele?ao starting eleven from 4 May 1958 to 7 June 1964.

World championships and a new role

It was during Sweden 58 that the rest of the world discovered Zagallo and his illustrious team-mates. As the Sele?ao headed to their first world title, he featured in a role rarely seen at a time when midfielders were expected to concentrate on defensive duties. Zagallo liked nothing more than moving forward to join the attack, and his runs from deep often ended with a Brazilian breakthrough. Along with Garrincha, he was Brazil¡¯s key to unlocking a defence and scored his side¡¯s fourth in the final against Sweden, before setting Pel¨¦ up for the fifth.

By the time Brazil retained their world title in 1962, Zagallo had evolved into a genuine forward, prowling out on the left. His goal during the must-win match with Mexico in the group stage proved vital in booking the Auriverde a place in the quarter-finals, where his performances took on even greater importance as injury kept Pel¨¦ out of the side. Zagallo finally called time on his playing career in 1964, but was back in the game just two years later, this time as a manager.

And it was in this new role that Zagallo really expressed his passion for the game, revealing a depth of tactical awareness the world had already seen glimpses of in his playing days. His first job was on the bench of his old club Botafogo, whom he led to two cariocas and two cup victories.

Success on the international stage followed soon afterwards, with yet another global conquest for the Sele?ao, this time at the mythical 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Blessed with an exceptionally talented squad, Zagallo now looks back on the tournament as his ¡°greatest memory as a manager.¡±

It is easy to understand why. His side won all six of their matches, scoring 19 times in the process, but above all it was the sheer quality of their play that stood out. Football experts all tend to agree that Brazil¡¯s FIFA World Cup triumph was the most spectacular and unquestionably deserved of all.

Attacking backs and the beautiful game