por Keith Griffin
Will We Ever See Another Era Of Footballers Who Play For The Joy Of Playing?
Am I the only one slightly disillusioned with football at the moment? Aren’t we all sick of the nastiness, the back stabbing, the refs, the added time debates, the diving, the money, the commercially driven chairmen, the bans, the sponsors, and even the rivalries?
I know I am. I wish the game were simpler, don’t you? A pitch, a ball, goals, and an abundance of talent. Who can we adore anymore?
How many players can we refer to as “The Joy of The People”? How many players nowadays are hailed by a nation, and revered long after they have passed away?
Garrincha was one such player.
Recently after reading a biography of the Brazilian, I felt I had to share his story with those that may know very little of the man nicknamed “Anjo de Pernas Tortas,” or “Angel with Bent Legs.” After all, he’s probably one of the very few players that I’ve read about that returned a smile to my face—a smile which all football fans seem to have lost to the modern game and its demons.
Garrincha was born in Pau Grande, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 1933, an impoverished area. When he was born, it was noticed that he had several birth defects ranging from his spine to his legs.
Yet, it was this deformation of his legs that would serve to create his legacy. His right leg bent inwards, while his left leg was six inches shorter than his right, and bent outwards. They looked as if “a gust of wind had blown them out of position.”
Although his hometown of Pau Grande was impoverished, it is said Garrincha enjoyed a very wild and activity-filled childhood. He would spend hours away from home, hunting animals, diving into the lake, and, most importantly, playing football with his friends.
It was on these streets that Garrincha honed his talents, dribbling in between pot holes and trees, the close control impeccable thanks to his extremely strangely shaped legs, which seemed to glide in and around the ball.
It was also on these streets that Garrincha started to become noticed by some small local teams. Garrincha, always picked first when the teams were decided, was easily spotted by the scouts because, simply, Garrincha dominated these games. Time after time, the onlooker would see a barefoot boy dribble around players with ease, before stopping, letting his opponent gather, and beating him again.
It was apparent that the youngster found joy in the simple art of beating an oncoming opponent. Though, I doubt very much if Garrincha saw it as an art, but just as fun, as football should be played, according to his nature and his instinct.
Some others had of course spotted his talents, and Garrincha sometimes travelled far to have trials with clubs, such as Cruzeiro and Fluminense. However, time after time, they sent him packing for numerous reasons, one being that he turned up one day without boots.
However, when one day Garrincha was playing a game for one of the local sides, he showed his enormous talents to exactly the right person. The referee for the game was none other than Botafogo right back Araty Vianna, who, upon seeing the No. 7, a boy with crooked legs, score three goals in the first half hour, before adding another two before the final whistle loudly acclaimed, “This guy is a hundred times better than any winger at Botafogo!”
Months later, Garrincha found himself at Botafogo for a tryout, not that it bothered the youngster, now 19 years old and married. He had seen these trials come and go, and football to Garrincha was not about glory or money, it was just about a ball and your next opponent to beat.
However, they decided to see what Garrincha was really made of, and faced him with an enormous challenge. “Put him up against Nilton Santos,” the trainer demanded. Santos, at the time, was regarded as one of the most complete defenders of his age.
At 28 years old, Santos, powerful and experienced, approached the buzzing youngster slowly to intercept him. Suddenly, Garrincha was past him like the crack of a whip, before stopping again ready to take on Santos again.
The defender tackled powerfully, however, Garrincha passed him again.
Later on in the game, the two met again. Garrincha nutmegged him. Santos has never been nutmegged by anyone. The onlookers stood amazed…but smiling. It was one of those moments of pure footballing beauty. How could you not smile?
They knew a star was born.
Botafogo signed him immediately, and in his first game for his new club, Garrincha scored in a 1-0 win over Avelo.
In his second game, Garrincha dribbled around the entire defence of Cantagalo, including the goalkeeper before passing in front of an empty net for a teammate to score. They stood bewildered. Why do all that dribbling, exposing an empty net, and then pass it?
Fonte:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/267891-football-needs-a-smile-to-return-to-its-fans-football-needs-a-garrincha
Will We Ever See Another Era Of Footballers Who Play For The Joy Of Playing?
Am I the only one slightly disillusioned with football at the moment? Aren’t we all sick of the nastiness, the back stabbing, the refs, the added time debates, the diving, the money, the commercially driven chairmen, the bans, the sponsors, and even the rivalries?
I know I am. I wish the game were simpler, don’t you? A pitch, a ball, goals, and an abundance of talent. Who can we adore anymore?
How many players can we refer to as “The Joy of The People”? How many players nowadays are hailed by a nation, and revered long after they have passed away?
Garrincha was one such player.
Recently after reading a biography of the Brazilian, I felt I had to share his story with those that may know very little of the man nicknamed “Anjo de Pernas Tortas,” or “Angel with Bent Legs.” After all, he’s probably one of the very few players that I’ve read about that returned a smile to my face—a smile which all football fans seem to have lost to the modern game and its demons.
Garrincha was born in Pau Grande, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 1933, an impoverished area. When he was born, it was noticed that he had several birth defects ranging from his spine to his legs.
Yet, it was this deformation of his legs that would serve to create his legacy. His right leg bent inwards, while his left leg was six inches shorter than his right, and bent outwards. They looked as if “a gust of wind had blown them out of position.”
Although his hometown of Pau Grande was impoverished, it is said Garrincha enjoyed a very wild and activity-filled childhood. He would spend hours away from home, hunting animals, diving into the lake, and, most importantly, playing football with his friends.
It was on these streets that Garrincha honed his talents, dribbling in between pot holes and trees, the close control impeccable thanks to his extremely strangely shaped legs, which seemed to glide in and around the ball.
It was also on these streets that Garrincha started to become noticed by some small local teams. Garrincha, always picked first when the teams were decided, was easily spotted by the scouts because, simply, Garrincha dominated these games. Time after time, the onlooker would see a barefoot boy dribble around players with ease, before stopping, letting his opponent gather, and beating him again.
It was apparent that the youngster found joy in the simple art of beating an oncoming opponent. Though, I doubt very much if Garrincha saw it as an art, but just as fun, as football should be played, according to his nature and his instinct.
Some others had of course spotted his talents, and Garrincha sometimes travelled far to have trials with clubs, such as Cruzeiro and Fluminense. However, time after time, they sent him packing for numerous reasons, one being that he turned up one day without boots.
However, when one day Garrincha was playing a game for one of the local sides, he showed his enormous talents to exactly the right person. The referee for the game was none other than Botafogo right back Araty Vianna, who, upon seeing the No. 7, a boy with crooked legs, score three goals in the first half hour, before adding another two before the final whistle loudly acclaimed, “This guy is a hundred times better than any winger at Botafogo!”
Months later, Garrincha found himself at Botafogo for a tryout, not that it bothered the youngster, now 19 years old and married. He had seen these trials come and go, and football to Garrincha was not about glory or money, it was just about a ball and your next opponent to beat.
However, they decided to see what Garrincha was really made of, and faced him with an enormous challenge. “Put him up against Nilton Santos,” the trainer demanded. Santos, at the time, was regarded as one of the most complete defenders of his age.
At 28 years old, Santos, powerful and experienced, approached the buzzing youngster slowly to intercept him. Suddenly, Garrincha was past him like the crack of a whip, before stopping again ready to take on Santos again.
The defender tackled powerfully, however, Garrincha passed him again.
Later on in the game, the two met again. Garrincha nutmegged him. Santos has never been nutmegged by anyone. The onlookers stood amazed…but smiling. It was one of those moments of pure footballing beauty. How could you not smile?
They knew a star was born.
Botafogo signed him immediately, and in his first game for his new club, Garrincha scored in a 1-0 win over Avelo.
In his second game, Garrincha dribbled around the entire defence of Cantagalo, including the goalkeeper before passing in front of an empty net for a teammate to score. They stood bewildered. Why do all that dribbling, exposing an empty net, and then pass it?
Fonte:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/267891-football-needs-a-smile-to-return-to-its-fans-football-needs-a-garrincha
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