Djalma Santos

Djalma Santos is for many the best right-back in the history of football. With more than 1000 matches played and an incredible longevity, he will have marked the history of football.

Trophies

Goals

1062

Games

- 1948/59 Portuguesa (BRE) 434 matches, 33 goals

- 1959/68 Palmeiras (BRE) 498 matches, 10 goals

- 1968/71 Atletico Paranaense (BRE) 32 matches, 2 goals

With the National Team :

98 caps, 3 goals

(Friendly matches: 37 caps, 1 goal)

(World Cup qualifiers: 6 caps)

(World Cup: 12 caps, 1 goal)

(Copa America: 22 caps)

(Pan American Championship: 4 caps)

(Copa Roca: 5 caps, 1 goal)

(Copa Oswaldo Cruz: 5 caps)

(Copa Bernardo O'Higgins: 2 caps)

(Copa Del Atlantico: 5 caps)

1st cap: April 10, 1952 against Peru (0-0)

Last cap: June 9, 1968 against Uruguay (2-0)

Unofficial: 13 caps, 8 goals

Djalma Pereira Dias Dos Santos

Born on February 27, 1929 in São Paulo (BRE)

Died on July 23, 2013 in Uberaba (BRE)

Brazilian, Right-back, 1m73

Nickname: "La muralha"

More than promising start

Djalma Santos was born on February 27, 1929 in São Paulo, Brazil. First playing in midfield, he was finally repositioned as a right-back. He appeared for the first time in the first team in 1948. Portuguesa unfortunately lost the match against Santos FC.

Playing 11 years at the club and playing each time at the top of the table but did not win any major trophies. A player with extraordinary fair play, he was selected for the first time with the Seleção in 1952, and between that year and 1968, he would establish himself as one of the best players in the history of the Brazilian national team and an undisputed starter. In total, he played 98 official matches for his country and participated in 4 different World Cups.

The Palmeiras legend

In 1959, he joined the great club Palmeiras, then one of the biggest clubs in the country. Despite some criticism of the transfer, the player would quickly create unanimity on both an individual and collective level. With 498 matches played for Palmeiras, he would win 6 trophies in a country dominated by Santos FC.

With Djalma Santos, Palmeiras became the first club in history to reach the final of the Copa Libertadores in 1961, unfortunately they lost the final. Djalma imposed great charisma and he was revolutionary in his way of playing in his position, being one of the first full-backs to go forward on many occasions to create an extra man.

Mr. World Cup

But it was with the Brazilian national team that Santos would write the most beautiful pages of its history. Arriving after the Maracana drama and Brazil's defeat in the 1950 World Cup final against Uruguay, he imposed his rhythm on the right-back position.

An essential element for his country in the 50s and 60s, he won the 1958 and 1962 World Cups where he was part of the competition's all-star team. He was also in the 1954 World Cup all-star team. He was the first player in history to be in 3 World Cup all-star teams.

He also took part in the 1966 World Cup where he was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Portugal, led by a certain Eusébio. His adventure with Brazil ended in June 1968, during a 2-0 victory against Uruguay, at the age of 39.

In 1968, he decided to leave Palmeiras and join Atletico Paranaense. There, he always gave his best and was still one of the best full-backs in the world despite his advanced age. He finally retired in 1971, when he was 42 years old.