The legendary Seleçao of 1970

The team has a golden generation that plays offensive football and very fast on the counterattack. In the goalkeeper position we find Félix Miélli Venerando, Fluminense goalkeeper who is supported by Eduardo Roberto Stinghen, Corinthians goalkeeper and the promising young goalkeeper of Palmeiras, Émerson Leão.

In the defender positions, we find in the axis the players Hércules Brito Ruas of Flamengo and Wilson Piazza, the Cruzeiro midfielder who is replaced as a central defender with the Seleçao. As full-backs, we find Carlos Alberto, the captain and Everaldo Marques da Silva, Grêmio full-back.

The midfield is made up of two players, first of all Gérson, the genius midfielder of São Paulo who is considered one of the best midfielders in history. Alongside him is Clodoaldo, the 20-year-old defensive midfielder from Santos who is quite complete and very promising. Replacing these players is Paulo Cesar, 21, who is an attacking midfielder who can also play as a left winger.

The attacking line is endowed with phenomenal talent with the King Pelé who is now 29 years old and who plays in a more offensive play-creating role. To his left, as a left winger, is Rivelino, the Corinthians genius who is considered one of the best dribblers of all time and a high-quality playmaker. As a center forward, we find Tostão, a complete and technical forward who participates enormously in the game by dropping a lot towards the heart of the game. And as a right winger, as Garrincha's successor, Brazil can count on Jairzinho, the Hurricane of Botafogo who combines power, speed and technical qualities.

Under the orders of Mário Zagallo, Brazil has a forward-oriented game that multiplies the offensive phases and counter-attacks. Aligned in 4-2-4, Brazil takes up the codes of the victorious Brazil of the years 1958 and 1962 by sublimating these codes. The team plays well, very well, it offers a football rarely achieved.

Despite a first match in 1970 missed against Argentina in March, lost 2-0. Brazil takes its revenge directly 4 days later by winning 2-1 on goals from Pelé and Jairzinho. Then Brazil will reassure itself and gain confidence against Chile, 2 matches for 2 victories, 7 goals scored and 2 goals conceded. Then before the start of the World Cup, Brazil loses power and can no longer be decisive offensively, 2 draws 0-0 against Paraguay and Bulgaria. The final preparation match took place against Austria, a 1-0 victory with a goal from Rivelino.

In a World Cup with 16 teams divided into 4 groups. Brazil falls into the group composed of England, Romania and Czechoslovakia. For its first match, Brazil faces Czechoslovakia who opens the score in the 12th minute. But Brazil's game will gradually overwhelm the European team. And led by exceptional players, the Seleçao will equalize in the 24th minute by Rivelino. The team is very solid defensively while continuing to attack. And it is Pelé on a pass from Gérson who will give the advantage to his country. Then again Gérson will find Jairzinho for the 3-1. And Jairzinho will come to score the last goal of the match for the 4-1 on an assist from Pelé. Pelé will have achieved a superb performance, at 29 years old, the player scores 1 goal and delivers 1 assist, he succeeds 2 dribbles, 84% of successful passes and 68 balls touched, 7 key passes and 1 interception. But the man of the match is Jairzinho is indeed the man of the match with a remarkable performance: 2 goals, 9 successful dribbles, 75% of successful passes, 3 key passes, 13 ground duels won out of 22 and 1 interception. Gérson will also have achieved a superb performance with 2 assists, 91% of successful passes, 7 key passes and 2 interceptions. The last notable player of this match is Rivelino: 1 goal, 83% of successful passes and 4 successful dribbles.

For its second match, Brazil faces England. The match is complicated offensively for both teams with two goalkeepers in great form. Banks on one side and especially Félix on the other. The latter will have an almost perfect match: 5 saves, 87% of successful passes and 1 successful exit in the feet. In the end, the match is very balanced and it is its hero of this edition, Jairzinho who will make the difference by scoring the only goal of the match in the 60th minute on an assist from Pelé.

The last match of this group phase pits Brazil against Romania. For this match, tactical change with Piazza placed in midfield with a defensive vocation in place of Gérson. Caju takes the position of left winger. The latter will also have a good match. But Brazil will still concede 2 goals during this match. Despite everything, the Seleçao seems invincible, it scores 3 times, double from Pelé and 1 goal from Jairzinho. Jairzinho achieves another performance of genius: 1 goal, 10 successful dribbles, 91% of successful passes, 16 ground duels won out of 25 and 5 fouls won. Pelé is the hero of this match with his 2 goals, his 83% of successful passes, his 5 key passes and his 3 successful dribbles. But the man in the shadows of this team which is performing excellently is Clodoaldo: 73 minutes played, 92% of successful passes, 1 key pass, 5 successful dribbles, 13 ground duels won out of 15, 2 interceptions and 3 fouls won.

For the quarter-finals, Brazil meets another South American football nation, Peru. The latter has a golden generation with Cubillas and Chumpitaz in particular. But Brazil will quickly take the lead 2-0 after 16 minutes on goals from Rivelino and Tostão.

In the end, Peru cannot resist the Seleçao who win the match 4-2. Tostão achieves one of the best performances in history: 2 goals, 1 assist, 5 successful dribbles, 89% of successful passes, 5 key passes, 10 ground duels won out of 15 and 3 fouls won. Rivelino also achieves a very good performance: 1 goal, 2 assists, 88% of successful passes, 3 key passes, 3 successful dribbles and 1 interception.

The semi-final will see Brazil face Uruguay, both countries having great teams. This time it is Jairzinho and Pelé who will take things in hand. Brazil will win 3-1 on goals from Clodoaldo, Jairzinho and Rivelino. Brazil is therefore flying to another World Cup final.

For this 1970 World Cup final, Brazil will face Italy. A very defensive team playing in a 4-4-1-1 formation. With Riva, Mazzola, Facchetti, Burgnich and Albertosi, Italy is a very tough team and hard to move. However, Brazil will achieve one of the best performances in its history by winning the match 4-1.

Pelé opens the scoring of the match in the 19th minute with a headed goal, showing the way, the King Pelé comes to give an XXL performance in this final: 1 goal, 2 assists, 90% of successful passes, 5 key passes and 7 fouls won. Overall, the entire team achieves an XXL performance. Another exceptional performance to highlight is that of Félix who makes 8 saves in the match. Gérson, Jairzinho and Rivelino are also excellent.

The 1970 Seleçao will have been able to mark this era in such a short period with its fast, offensive and very effective game. A team with talents in defense, in the middle and in attack. Also, this competition will have marked records like those of Pelé who won his 3rd World Cup and Jairzinho who will have scored a goal in each match of the competition.

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