World Cup-winning Brazilian captain
Born: 17 July, 1944;
Died: 25 October, 2016
CARLOS Alberto, who has died suddenly at 72, following a heart attack, was not only the captain of what many football commentators consider the greatest World Cup-winning team, the Brazilian side of 1970, he scored one of the most iconic goals in football history, the fourth in Brazil's demolition of Italy in that 1970 final.
Even 46 years on, his goal is a thing of beauty; Tostao won possession deep in Brazilian territory, he passed to centre-half Clodoaldo, who went off on a mazy run past four players before finding Rivelino, who sent the ball on to Jairzhino. He passed square inside to Pele, who delayed his pass until his skipper galloped up the right, then delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Alberto, who hammered the ball, first time past a helpless Enrico Albertosi for one of the truly memorable World Cup goals. Brazil 4 Italy 1 - a wonderful end to a wonderful tournament.
Much later in life, Alberto said he realised how much the goal meant to fans. "I realise how beautiful and how important that goal was because everybody is still talking about it," he said. "Nobody talks about Pele's goal, the first goal, the second goal. It is always about the fourth goal. I think it was the best goal ever scored in a World Cup. Anybody can score a goal, but in that move nine different players touched the ball before the goal. I was lucky though, because I scored it."
Carlos Alberto was born in Rio, where he made his name with Fluminese, for whom he played some 100 games between 1963 and 1966. He then moved to Sao Paolo, to join the star-studded Santos, where he linked up with Pele.
He had been on the preliminary list of 40 players whom Brazil named in the build-up to the 1966 World Cup, having won the first of his eventual 53 Brazilian caps, against England, in 1964. He did not make the final 22 who travelled to England, via Scotland, for that poor tournament for the then holders, but, by the time of the 1970 tournament, he was not only established in the Brazil side, his leadership qualities had seen him appointed captain.
Brazil, seeking a third win in the event and permanent custody of the Jules Rimet Trophy touched the heights in Mexico, and the pictures of the skipper, holding the trophy aloft in both hands, have become iconic. Sadly, it was to be his only World Cup final tournament.
He was troubled by persistent knee problems and was injured in the build-up to the 1974 tournament, before, aged 33 and by now having lost some pace and switched to centre-half, he returned after seven years to lead Brazil in the first three qualifying games for the 1978 tournament, before retiring from international football.
He had quit Santos in 1974, to go back to Rio and Fluminese, but, in 1977, he had a short spell with deadly rivals Flamengo, before reuniting with Pele at New York Cosmos. He spent five years in the NSL, four with Cosmos, one with California Surf, before hanging up his boots after 800 senior games.
After retiring, he moved into coaching, but, in a lengthy career in the technical area, he enjoyed little success in terms of trophy winning. He was not merely a number one, with 16 different clubs and countries around the world, he was assistant manager to such teams as the Nigerian and Omani national sides. His managerial career ended in disgrace in 2005, when, as manger of Azerbaijan, he assaulted the fourth official, then invaded the pitch to accuse the referee in an international against Poland of having been bribed.
At the time of his death he was working as a commentator and analyst with the Brazilian channel Sportv.
In addition to the 1970 World Cup, he won ten domestic Brazilian trophies, plus the 1968 South American Super Cup. With New York Cosmos he won nine domestic USA honours while individually, he was named in the 1970 World Cup All-Star team, the World Team of the 20th century, and one of FIFA's top 100 players in 2004. He has been inducted into both the Brazilian and National Soccer League Halls of Fame.
Carlos Alberto had two children to his first wife, Sueli, with his son Alexander making a single appearance for Brazil in 1992.
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