Football icon Mario Zagallo, a key figure in Brazil’s football history, was bid farewell by Brazilians on Sunday as he passed away at the age of 92.
Mourners, donned in black, national team yellow, or the colors of clubs associated with Zagallo, paid their respects at the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) headquarters in Rio de Janeiro.
The legendary left-wing player and coach, known as the “Professor,” played a crucial role in Brazil’s four World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and as a coach in 1970 and 1994. Zagallo passed away on Friday due to multiple organ failure, prompting President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to declare three days of national mourning.
The public wake was followed by a private mass and burial at Sao Joao Batista cemetery, the final resting place for many Brazilian luminaries. Tributes from football luminaries and fans poured in, highlighting Zagallo’s tactical brilliance and immense contributions to Brazilian football.
His passing comes during a challenging period for Brazilian football, accentuated by recent poor performances in World Cup qualifiers and the dismissal of national team coach Fernando Diniz.
The loss of Zagallo, the last surviving starter from Brazil’s 1958 World Cup-winning team, leaves a void in the nation’s football history and marks the end of an era.
Source: AFP
