Every other day, any other sensible Global Cup tale from @AmitKatwala and his Global Cup Tales e-book. Lately the focal point is on 1950 and Moacyr Barbosa aka ‘the goalkeeper who made all of Brazil cry’.

Representation: Daniel Mitchell

BRAZIL 1950

Brazilians nonetheless name it el Maracanaço – which more or less interprets as ‘the Maracana blow’. The Selecao’s 2-1 defeat to Uruguay within the ultimate sport of the 1950 Global Cup is written within the nation’s awareness. It was once a countrywide trauma: “our disaster, our Hiroshima,” wrote Brazilian creator and playwright Nelson Rodrigues. However one guy suffered greater than maximum: Brazil goalkeeper Moacyr Barbosa.

The newly built Maracana was once then the most important soccer stadium ever constructed – meant to symbolise Brazil’s new ambition. As an alternative, in entrance of 200,00zero other folks, the nationwide group had been humiliated, and ignored out on successful the Global Cup on house soil. Having defeated Sweden 7-1 and Spain 6-1 within the peculiar ultimate four-team team level, their hubris were given the easier of them. Earlier than the sport, which Brazil wanted handiest to attract because of the general team layout, Rio newspaper O Mundo declared the group ‘global champions’. Match founder Jules Rimet had ready a congratulatory speech in Portuguese, and the group had been offered with gold watches within the converting room.

However they hadn’t counted at the garra charrua – a Uruguayan time period for shows of bravery within the face of overwhelming odds. Their captain Obdulio Varela was once reportedly so incensed by means of the entrance web page of O Mundo that he purchased each replica he may just to find, hurled all of them at the flooring of the dressing room and inspired his teammates to urinate on them. After a goalless first 1/2, Brazil took the lead early in the second one thru Friaca.

Uruguay hit again – Alcides Ghiggia raced down the proper wing and crossed from the threshold of the field for Juan Alberto Schiaffino to notch after 66 mins. Simply 13 mins later, Ghiggia discovered himself in the similar place. In function, Barbosa took a step to his proper, expecting any other go. It might spoil his lifestyles. As an alternative, Ghiggia shot – low in opposition to the close to submit. It crept in, evading Barbosa’s determined dive.

“Most effective 3 other folks have, with only one movement, silenced the Maracana: Frank Sinatra, Pope John Paul II and me,” mentioned Ghiggia years later. Within the aftermath, it was once Brazil’s black gamers who unfortunately become the scapegoats: centre-half Bigode, left-back Juvenal and Barbosa – the person who was once by no means allowed to fail to remember 1950, regardless of being voted the most productive goalkeeper of the match by means of newshounds. He would play handiest over again for his nation. In 1993, he attempted to discuss with Brazil’s coaching camp, however he wasn’t allowed in as it was once concept he would carry the group unhealthy good fortune. It broke deficient Barbosa, who insisted until his demise day:

“It’s not that i am accountable. There have been 11 folks.”

In a bizarre coincidence, after he retired from a membership soccer profession spent principally at Vasco de Gama, Barbosa took a task on the Maracana. In 1963, he invited some pals over for a barbeque – the air was once thick with acrid smoke, they usually spotted bizarre white logs burning within the hearth pit. They had been the previous Maracana posts. Barbosa had set them alight, in an try to exorcise his demons. He mentioned the steak he cooked that day was once the most productive he had ever eaten.

It didn’t truly loose him from his previous.

In 1970, the similar 12 months that Brazil gained the Global Cup with Pele, who remembered “crying and crying and crying” as a boy in 1950, Barbosa was once nonetheless reviled by means of the Brazilian public. An incident from that 12 months stands proud – a lady in a marketplace pointed at him, telling her kid: ‘Take a look at him, son. He’s the person that made all of Brazil cry.”

A couple of weeks prior to he died, virtually penniless, in April 2000, Barbosa mentioned: “Below Brazilian regulation, the utmost sentence is 30 years. However my imprisonment has been for 50.”

If Brazil can win the Global Cup on house soil in the summertime, in all probability the ghosts of el Maracanaço will in the end be laid to leisure.

The 1950 Global Cup briefly
A baffling layout noticed the winners of every team pass into a last team level. Hosts Brazil drew 2-2 with Switzerland however nonetheless improved with two wins to sign up for Sweden (who they beat 7-1), Spain (who they beat 6-1) and Uruguay. The latter drew with Spain and scraped previous Sweden to arrange a last sport showdown. Brazil wanted just a draw. They failed.

1930: The France captain became Nazi collaborator
1934: Did Italy truly repair a Global Cup qualifier?
1938: The striker who performed for Poland and Nazi Germany

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