The Seleçao seeks revenge 1958 - 1962

The fact that this team becomes one of the strongest in the world will begin in 1958. The team is already composed of the best players in the world. Of course, the team has just lost Zizinho, its faithful playmaker since 1942 and one of the best players in its history, a finalist in the 1950 World Cup in particular.

On the other hand, the team seems even stronger, in the goalkeeping position, we find Gilmar and Carlos José Castilho, two prominent figures in Brazilian football. And the defense is composed of Hilderaldo Luis Bellini, a defender who quickly projects himself forward and he is supported by his club teammate at Vasco de Gama, Orlando Peçanha. As replacements, we can note the presence of Mauro Ramos and Zozimo. The most used full-backs are logically Djalma Santos and Nilton Santos, figures of this Brazilian revival after 1950. Newton De Sordi, emblematic figure of São Paulo FC also plays a few matches.

In midfield, we find Didi, the famous playmaker and playmaker of the Seleçao. He is accompanied by the more defensive midfielder Zito. This very complementary duo has as a replacement the most notable Antônio Martins Joël, Flamengo midfielder.

The attacking line is made up of many exceptional players. A collection of talents including Canhoteiro who will not be selected for the World Cup but who had a real talent for finishing and dribbling, nicknamed the "Garrincha on the left". The team can count on Mario Zagallo in this left wing position and Pepe, two exceptional players, one more in collective creation and the other in finishing and powerful shooting. Betting on a young team, Vavá is lined up in the centre alongside José Altafini, aged 23 and 19. As a replacement for these two attackers, the Seleçao can count on a young 17-year-old prodigy, a certain Pelé who has just finished 1957 with 40 matches, 43 goals and 19 assists.

To take care of the Seleçao, Vicente Ítalo Feola will take command, the coach will develop a tactical composition in 4-2-4, with a very offensive vocation. The objective is to take advantage of the percussion talent of the full-backs, the two Santos and Garrincha in particular on his right wing, the king of dribbling, a technician who constantly hits on his side. In the axis, Didi and Vavá have the task of making the game. Vicente Ítalo Feola will bring a new professionalism to the Seleçao, doing training camps for the World Cup and improving the tactical and physical aspects of his team.

In May, the team will have the opportunity to rub shoulders with Paraguay and Bulgaria, easy matches for the team that arrives with confidence at the 1958 World Cup, yet the collective atmosphere in Brazil is tense, we hope not to relive another disappointment after 1950 and 1954.

For this edition of the World Cup, the format is as follows, 4 groups of 4 teams. The two best teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals. Brazil finds itself in a particularly complicated group composed of the USSR, England and Austria, the most complicated group on paper.

Pelé who is injured at the start of the competition is therefore logically left out of the starting XI, and it is José Altafini, the other prodigy of the country who has the opportunity to play at the forefront of the attack. He will quickly show all his talent, the player scores a double in Brazil's easy 3-0 victory over Austria for the country's first match in the competition. For the second match, Brazil faces England, neither team manages to score, final score 0-0.

Everything will therefore be decided during the last match against a tough opponent, the USSR led by a great Valentin Ivanov. Pelé takes the place of José Altafini at the forefront of the attack and will distinguish himself by offering an assist to Vavá for the 2-0, Vavá scoring a double. Brazil thus finishes first in its group and will face Wales in the quarter-finals.

For these quarter-finals, De Sordi is aligned in place of Djalma Santos and Vavá gives up his place to Altafini as a starter. Wales will, to everyone's surprise, hold their own against Brazil until the 66th minute of play and a goal from their young prodigy, Pelé. Final score 1-0. A short and complicated victory.

For the semi-finals of the competition, Brazil faces the French team which also has a golden generation with, among others, Robert Jonquet, Just Fontaine and Raymond Kopa. But Vavá will open the score in the 2nd minute of play on an assist from Nilton Santos. But the duo of this tournament, Raymond Kopa and Just Fontaine will respond to this goal in the 9th minute of play. The two teams seem to be of an equal level with a slight advantage for France which seems to be better into its match.

But a fact of play will change everything in this encounter. With the score at 1-1 and around the 20th minute of play, Brazilian striker Vavá collided head-on with French defender Robert Jonquet, who fractured his fibula. A terrible shock that was a real tragedy for France. Indeed, at that time substitutions were not yet authorized, the legendary defender of Stade de Reims decided to stay on the field despite the extreme pain. Truly weakened by the pain and the serious injury, this incident in the match would be for many the one that gave Brazil victory.

With an injured Jonquet, France was fragile defensively and suffered the onslaught of Brazil. Didi, then Pelé would thrash France, the latter scoring a hat-trick at only 17 years old and in the semi-final of the World Cup. Roger Piantoni would reduce the gap at the end of the match, final score 5-2.

In the other semi-final, Sweden has just defeated reigning world champions West Germany 3-1. This Swedish team, playing at home, certainly has its greatest golden generation. In goalkeeping, we find the legendary Kalle Svensson with Orvar Bergmark, Sven Axbom, Sigge Parling and Bengt Gustavsson in front of him. In midfield, Gunnar Gren and Nils Liedholm delight the observers. We also find Kurt Hamrin, the legendary winger of Fiorentina and one of the best players of his era. On the left wing, it is the other legendary winger, Lennart Skoglund who is the starting player.

The media are also on the side of the Swedish selection. The European press categorizes the Brazilian players with racist or critical words. In particular, they mock the very "Joga Bonito" game of Brazil which has never won anything on the world stage. On the contrary, they salute the rough and physical football offered by Sweden led by George Raynor.

And for this final, Liedholm immediately sets the tone for the final by scoring a goal in the 4th minute of play. But Brazil will not change its football and will continue to attack as it has been accustomed to throughout the competition. Brazil's creative and dribbling talent will make the difference in the 9th minute, Garrincha giving the ball to Vavá who scores his 4th goal of the competition.

Brazil's very offensive game will completely overwhelm the Swedish team who, although rough, can do nothing against the dribbling and quick passes of the Seleçao. Then Vavá does it again, 5th goal in the tournament. Pelé scores his goal in the 55th minute before Zagallo scores the goal for 4-1, Simonsson on a pass from Liedholm reduces the gap but it is already too late. And it is finally Brazil who scores a final goal thanks to Pelé. The king is born, he is 17 years old and he is already world champion, he has just conquered the world. Victory of Brazil without any dispute 5-2 against Sweden, host country.

For the year 1959, the team kept the same base of players with a few appearances in addition to Quarentinha, a left winger who was extremely effective in finishing. The year began at the Copa America in Argentina. This competition was an opportunity for Pelé to shine, he scored 8 goals in the competition and finished as the tournament's top scorer, yet Brazil finished runner-up in this edition.

At the end of the year, Ecuador received authorization to organize a second Copa America in the same year, so Brazil decided to send only a team composed mainly of players from the state of Pernambuco, therefore without its great players like Pelé. Brazil finished 3rd in this Copa America.

The years 1960 and 1961 were years of preparation for the 1962 World Cup, during this period Waldo Machado played a few matches with the Seleçao and Quarentinha shone and proved decisive. The country finished second in the 1960 Panamerican Championship behind Argentina. In 1960, the team played 16 matches for 11 wins, 1 draw and 4 losses. Then in 1961, with Mauro Ramos back in the team, and Gérson playing his first matches in the Seleçao (he would not be selected for the 1962 World Cup), Brazil had a great year with Antonio Wilson Coutinho, 18 years old, decisive. In total it was 5 matches for 5 wins under the orders of Aymoré Moreira.

The Seleçao therefore began their 1962 season with matches against Paraguay, Portugal and Wales, 6 matches, 6 wins for 19 goals scored and 3 conceded. Enough to be confident for the World Cup. Aligning a squad similar to that of 1958 but older: Gilmar 31 years old, Hilderaldo Luis Bellini 32 years old, Mauro Ramos 31 years old, Zozimo 30 years old, Djalma Santos 33 years old, Nilton Santos 37 years old, Zito 29 years old, Didi 33 years old, Garrincha 28 years old, Pepe 27 years old, Zagallo 30 years old, Vava 27 years old... The team could still count on young hopefuls of Brazilian football: Pelé 21 years old, Jair da Costa 21 years old, Antonio Wilson Coutinho 19 years old and Amarildo 23 years old.

Still under the orders of Aymoré Moreira and in a 4-2-4, the tactical differences with 1958 are slight. Zagallo plays slightly deeper and enters more into the axis. Didi and Zito are also deeper but in the same roles as in 1958. And Vavá is at the heart of the game, placed in a role of construction of the game. Zozimo also takes the place of Bellini and does not go up as much as the latter.

For its first match, Brazil faced Mexico at the Estadio Sausalito in Viña del Mar. This World Cup had the same format as the one in 1958. In front of about 10,000 spectators, the Brazilians logically won the match with a Pelé in form, 1 goal and 1 assist for a 2-0 victory.

Czechoslovakia then stopped Brazil's momentum, final score 0-0. Pelé injured his groin on a strike and would not be able to participate in the rest of the tournament. So it was the young Amarildo who took his place. And in the most beautiful way! Since in the last match of this group phase against Spain, Amarildo scored 2 goals in the last 20 minutes of the match on assists from Zagallo and Garrincha. Brazil thus finished 1st in its group and still seemed as effective despite the absence of Pelé.

For the quarter-finals, Brazil faced a great team, England, who were still looking to win this famous competition for the first time in their history. For this match, it was Garrincha who distinguished himself in the best possible way by scoring twice. The small winger was at the top of his game and took on the status of best player in this team by distinguishing himself with his goals, assists and destructive dribbling. Brazil won 3-1.

In the semi-finals, Brazil faced the host country at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago in front of 76,500 spectators. And once again it was the Brazilian genius who struck a major blow, scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist for the right winger of this fantastic Brazilian team. Vavá also scored twice and Zagallo gave 2 assists.

Brazil thus reached its second World Cup final in a row. This time their opponents were Czechoslovakia with Masopust, Pluskal, Ján Popluhár, Ladislav Novák and Andrej Kvašňák. Czechoslovakia opened the scoring in this final with a goal from Masopust in the 15th minute. But Amarildo once again scored a goal just 2 minutes later with an assist from Didi. Amarildo once again distinguished himself by providing the assist for 2-1 for a goal from Zito in the 69th minute. Then Vavá scored the goal that ended the suspense in the 78th minute with an assist from Djalma Santos, final score 3-1. This golden generation is crowned again, a generation with great talents and who will have been able to show themselves effective in each of their matches at stake in the World Cup.

Didi will have been elected best player of the 1958 World Cup, then in 1962 it is Garrincha who will receive this prize. Note that Djalma Santos will have always been decisive and solid in defense. He will have been in the typical XI of the World Cup 3 times in 1954, 1958 and 1962.

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