Funeral for Brazilian Legend, Zagallo, Holds Today

The funeral of late Brazilian football legend Mario Zagallo will be held today, his family said, after the four-time World Cup-winning player and coach died at age 92.

A wake for the man known as the “Old Wolf” will be held from 9:30 am (1230 GMT) at the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) in Rio de Janeiro, said a statement posted to Zagallo’s Instagram account Saturday, the day after his death.

That will be followed by a burial at the Sao Joao Batista cemetery, the final resting place of some of Brazil’s most famous citizens.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva led the tributes to Zagallo, calling him “one of the greatest football players and coaches of all time.”

“Courageous, passionate… (he) leaves a lesson of love, dedication and the will to overcome for our country and for world football,” Lula wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Zagallo, who played alongside Pele in Brazil’s 1958 and 1962 World Cup-winning teams, died Friday night of multiple organ failure at the Barra D’Or hospital in Rio after suffering a series of health problems in recent months.

Zagallo was a winger in the Brazil team who won back-to-back World Cups in 1958 and 1962, starting in both finals.

He managed the side widely regarded as the greatest international team of all time, including Pele, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto, to glory in 1970.

Zagallo’s final World Cup triumph came as Carlos Alberto Parreira’s assistant coach in 1994.

He returned as Brazil manager after that tournament and led them to the final in 1998, where they were beaten by hosts France.

Zagallo was the first person to win the World Cup as both a player and a manager – a feat that has since been matched by Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer and France’s Didier Deschamps.

“With enormous sadness, we inform you of the death of our eternal four-time world champion Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo,” a statement on his official Instagram account said.

“A devoted father, loving grandfather, caring father-in-law, faithful friend, victorious professional and a great human being. Giant idol. A patriot who leaves us a legacy of great achievements.”

Brazil are the most successful nation in World Cups, with five titles, and Zagallo is one of the most instrumental figures in that history.

As a teenager on national service he was one of nearly 200,000 in the Maracana Stadium who saw hosts Brazil stunned by Uruguay in the decisive final match of the 1950 World Cup.

Speaking to BBC Sport in 2013, Zagallo said: “That day has never left my mind.”

He made his Brazil debut aged 26 shortly before the 1958 tournament but became a key part of the team that alleviated some of that pain from 1950, as a 17-year-old Pele inspired the Selecao to victory over Sweden in the final, with Zagallo scoring the fourth goal in a 5-2 win.

Zagallo had been the last surviving member of Brazil’s 1958 World Cup-winning team who played in the final.