Mario Zagallo: The Old Wolf

Mario Zagallo left us on the 5th of January 2024, at the age of 92.

It’s only fitting to place him in our Protagonists section, as, after Pelé, he can be considered the greatest figure in the history of the Brazilian national team.

Understand what made Zagallo, the Old Wolf, become such an important figure in the world of sports.

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Zagallo’s Playing Career

Contrary to what many might think, Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo, or simply Zagallo, was not born in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Although he spent his entire life in the Marvelous City, this global icon hails from the small town of Atalaia, in Alagoas, born on the 9th of August 1931.

A town of great fortune, with just 50 thousand inhabitants (currently), it’s also the home of Aloísio Chulapa, a world champion with São Paulo and a former player for PSG, Saint Étienne, Flamengo, Vasco da Gama, Athletico Paranaense, and many others.

Nevertheless, young Zagallo couldn’t produce any memories from Alagoas State, moving along with his family, that had a factory, to Rio de Janeiro just eight months after his birth.

The Zagallo family settled in the Tijuca neighborhood in the northern zone of Rio de Janeiro.

From a very early age, the son of Mr. Aroldo showed that sports would be his life. As a member of América-RJ, Mario spent his days at the club.

There, he developed a love for his favorite team, football, and sports in general.

He joined the amateur category (youth divisions did not have today’s structure) of América-RJ to play football, but not only that.

He was an avid volleyball and table tennis player.

Despite most of Zagallo’s photos and portraits showing him in a Botafogo shirt, he began at the rival club, Flamengo.

Coming from the amateur ranks of América-RJ, he moved to Flamengo in the same category in 1950.

After a year at the Gávea club, he was finally promoted to the first team. At the age of 20, he made his debut for Flamengo, the club for which he played the most as a player.

During his time at Rubro-Negro, he played 217 games, scoring 30 goals, from 1951 to 1958.

Image: Flamengo

After the World Cup, he tried to negotiate with Flamengo’s board to find ways to keep him on the team. Zagallo supposedly asked for a job at Caixa Econômica Federal after his career ended, to secure his future, which was quite complicated for football players, especially at that time.

However, despite the Old Wolf’s desire, Flamengo and Zagallo couldn’t reach an agreement. Consequently, several teams sought the signing of the world champion left-winger. In an interview with Jayme Pimenta Valente Filho in the book ‘Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo: Between the Sacred and the Profane, a Life Story,’ from the Faculty of Sports at the University of Porto, Portugal, 2006, our eternal star mentions offers from Portuguesa, Botafogo, and Palmeiras, the latter being the most lucrative.

After evaluating them, he decided to join Botafogo for two main reasons. First, his wife was a teacher, and moving to São Paulo might have been problematic for her profession. Second, he was aware of Botafogo’s team quality, which already featured stars like Nilton Santos and Garrincha.

This way, he joined the Glorioso, where he scored 46 goals in 115 matches. His career as a professional player came to an end in 1965 at the age of 36.

Imagem: Arquivo Botafogo

Por clubes, ganhou os seguintes títulos:

His titles by clubs include:

• Rio-São Paulo Tournament: 1962 and 1964
• Campeonato Carioca (Rio de Janeiro State Championship): 1948, 1957, 1961, and 1962
• Rio de Janeiro Municipal Football Tournament: 1951
• Governor Magalhães Pinto Tournament: 1964
• Porto Alegre Triangular Tournament of 1951
• Colombia International Tournament: 1960
• Costa Rica International Tournament: 1961
• Mexico Pentagonal Tournament: 1962
• La Paz Football Association Golden Jubilee Tournament: 1964
• Panamaribo Cup in 1964
• Paris Tournament in 1963

Zagallo’s Coaching Career

It’s a lifetime dedicated to football, and the transition from inside to outside the pitch was far from subtle.

Zagallo is one of those cases where one day your teammate trains and plays with you; the next, they are leading you from the technical area.

After ending his career as an athlete in 1965 at the age of 34, the Old Wolf wasted no time and was chosen to become Botafogo’s coach in the following year.

He always had a great understanding and read of the game, which qualified him to manage his former teammates.

The team instantly clicked. One could say this was the greatest Botafogo team of all time.

They won two Campeonatos Cariocas (1967 and 68) and the eagerly awaited Brasileirão in 1968. All this without their greatest star, Garrincha, who bid farewell to Glorioso in 1965.

From then on, the Old Wolf built his incredibly successful story as a club coach. He coached Rio de Janeiro’s big four clubs, as well as Bangu and Olaria, with the Marvelous City being his eternal residence.

Image: ARQUIVO/ESTADÃO CONTEÚDO

He stacked up titles wherever he went, including:

Botafogo

• Torneio Início do Campeonato Carioca: 1967
• Taça Guanabara: 1967 e 1968
• Campeonato Carioca: 1967 e 1968
• Campeonato Brasileiro: 1968
• Torneio Internacional da Cidade do México: 1968
• Troféu Triangular de Caracas: 1968

Fluminense

• Campeonato Carioca: 1971
• Taça Guanabara: 1971
• Torneio Quadrangular de Salvador: 1971

Flamengo

• Copa dos Campeões: 2001
• Campeonato Carioca: 1972 e 2001
• Taça Guanabara: 1972, 1973, 1984 e 2001
• Torneio do Povo: 1972

Al-Hilal

• Campeonato Saudita: 1978–79

Vasco da Gama

• Torneio João Havelange: 1981
• Troféu Colombino: 1980
• Taça Adolpho Bloch: 1990

Bangu

• Torneio Cidade do Aço: 1988

The Old Wolf and the Brazilian National Team

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Mario Zagallo’s weight in the history of the Brazilian National Team is immense.

Even if he had never become a coach or coordinator, he would be among the select few players to win two World Cups. That alone would have made him a supreme idol for an entire country.

But he is the character with the most involvement in victorious World Cup campaigns. He boasts two titles as a player, one as a coach, and another as a coordinator.

Alone, Zagallo actively participated in four of the five Canarinho titles. If he were a country, he would be tied with Germany and Italy as the second-biggest winners. Absolutely astounding and unique.

Zagallo is Brazilian. Body and soul.

Only those born in this giant country know the sensation when the World Cup arrives. The country celebrates, and, for those unaware, most workplaces offer optional holidays, meaning employees have the choice not to work on Brazil’s match days.

An enduring image, especially for the older generation, is the sight of the Old Wolf on the TV screen during these folklore-filled days.

Image: Reprodução

The 1958 World Cup

The year 1950 holds only one significance in the minds of Brazilians: the Maracanazo.

People gathered to watch the final of that year’s World Cup, but the celebratory plans were dashed by the Uruguayan national team, who secured their second World Cup title and left indelible scars.

The 1958 World Cup would witness the entry of the greatest in history, Pelé. Edson Arantes do Nascimento had promised his father, after the loss in the 1950 World Cup, that he would become a player and bring the pride of the title to him.

And so it happened, eight years later.

Much has been said about the performances of Pelé and Garrincha, who undoubtedly were the key players for the triumph. However, we will emphasize here the fundamental role played by Zagallo.

The Old Wolf always played as a left winger, but in this World Cup, under the guidance of coach Vicente Feola, he assumed an intriguing tactical role, albeit the tactical schooling of that time was not as evolved as today’s, displaying his intelligence and pioneering spirit.

Brazil played in a 4-2-4 formation, but Feola felt that the team was too exposed in this setup.

Therefore, he changed the formation to a 4-3-3 specifically for the World Cup. The aim was to have Zagallo in the second line instead of the third, to populate the midfield and enhance defensive marking in that area.

However, as the Brazilian team had an absurd level of quality, they tended to take the initiative in matches, causing Zagallo to join the attacking quartet. But when possession was lost, he was the main player to drop back and protect the defensive line.

The result was so impressive that, even though it was the ultra-offensive football of the late 1950s, Brazil conceded only four goals throughout the competition and kept clean sheets in four out of the six matches.

Zagallo was chosen for his ahead-of-his-time understanding of the game, as well as his physical conditioning, leaving Pepe, one of Santos’ greatest players and the second-highest scorer in history with 406 goals, behind only Pelé, on the bench.

Pelé, who was a substitute, came on in the quarterfinals, scored the winning goal against Wales, netted a hat-trick against France, and scored two more against the hosts, Sweden, in the final.

That was the first time the Brazilian people smiled in a World Cup, and Zagallo added his first star to his haul of World Cup titles.

Image: Arquivo/Estadão Conteúdo

The 1962 World Cup

In 1962, in Chile, Brazil was already considered the favorite.

Pelé was already considered the King of football and known worldwide. Naturally, the responsibility of securing the second World Cup title rested on him.

In the debut, both the King and the Old Wolf were responsible for starting the victorious campaign. They scored a goal each to defeat Mexico 2-0.

The following match was against the team they would face again in the final, Czechoslovakia. The match ended in a 0-0 draw and had an important setback. Pelé got injured, which turned out to be his last game in the tournament.

However, there was no need to despair. Pelé stated that Brazil was more than just him, and he was right.

Garrincha took charge of the World Cup. Alongside his teammates, he delivered spectacular performances, leading Brazil to their second triumph by defeating Czechoslovakia 3-1.

Image: REGINALDO MANENTE/ESTADÃO CONTEÚDO

The 1970 World Cup

This World Cup was different for Zagallo.

After the painful defeat in the 1966 World Cup, Pelé had already announced that 1970 would be his farewell from the planet’s most important tournament.

The Brazilian masses already felt that nerve-wracking excitement, creating a tremendous atmosphere for the national team to claim the title.

Zagallo had only four years as a coach when he was called to take on this colossal responsibility.

His success at Botafogo was immediate, making Glorioso compete with and even surpass Santos and Palmeiras from 1966 to 1968.

Thus, he took charge of the Brazilian national team in 1969.

The starting lineup chosen by Zagallo for the World Cup was as follows:

Félix; Carlos Alberto Torres, Brito, Piazza, and Everaldo; Clodoaldo and Gérson; Rivellino, Jairzinho, Tostão, and Pelé.

Indeed, the greatest national team of all time. They played and enchanted. Much was due to Zagallo’s genius, but also because of the peak of Brazilian football, boasting players absolutely spectacular and flawless in every position on the field.

All the players in the squad are eternal idols of their clubs and engraved in the history of their respective teams, as well as that of the national team.

To illustrate the genius of Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo and understand his pioneering spirit regarding tactics, let’s quote the great coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo discussing the 1970 World Cup in an interview for the Denilsonshow Podcast:

“

The greatest tactical revolution in world football was made by a Brazilian. It wasn’t Rinus Michels who created the ‘Clockwork Orange’ (Netherlands team of 1974), no. It was done by the Brazilian, named Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo. In 1970, the tactical concept used, you still see it today, with a different dynamic.

Zagallo in 1970 played with three defenders, and nobody talks about this. Everaldo was a third defender. He played with a defensive midfielder dropped to the backline, which was Wilson Piazza because he had good ball control and held the Brito and Everaldo. In other words, midfield possession, marking by sectors, marking by zone, team marking.

The marking didn’t just start with them, it reached them. And in front of them, he placed Jairzinho, Pelé, and Rivellino.

And he put Tostão, who later became Messi after a long time. Why did he put Tostão there? Because Tostão was the guy who knew how to play, joined the attack, played the one-two. That’s why he passed the ball for Clodoaldo’s goal against Uruguay, a fantastic pass, and Jairzinho, Pelé, Rivellino, and the others were there.

“

The performances were unlike anything seen on a football field before. The players seemed to float on the pitch and played like music.

Brazil had no trouble against any opponent. They won every match of the tournament. They scored an incredible 19 goals in 6 matches and conceded only 7.

In the final, they secured a resounding 4-1 victory against the formidable Italy team, boasting Facchetti, Mazzola, and Riva.

With the final whistle, Pelé achieved the unattainable, becoming the only athlete in the history of football to win three World Cups as a player.

Zagallo, in turn, claimed his third star and had been involved in all the World Cup triumphs of the Brazilian national team until then, a record that lasted until 2002.

Image: Arquivo / Agência O Globo

The 1994 World Cup

The Canarinho Seleção had not been in good shape in recent years. After another heartbreaking moment for Brazilian hearts in 1982, with the magical generation of Sócrates, Falcão, Junior, Zico, and many others, the yellow-green country had lost the 1990 World Cup to their arch-rivals, Argentina.

Falcão took over as coach after the World Cup, but due to clashes with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and unremarkable results, he stepped down in 1991.

Many names were considered for the job, with the Old Wolf being one of them.

Eventually, Carlos Alberto Parreira was chosen as the head coach.

The road was arduous. Brazil had immense difficulties in qualifying for the United States edition, as well as the defeat in the 1993 Copa America, on penalties, again to Argentina, with an alternate team.

The CBF and Parreira knew they needed a renowned figure to manage the talents of ’94. Hence, Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo was called to be the coordinator of national teams.

Being disciplined and, despite not having a close relationship with one of Brazilian football’s greats, Romário, he was crucial for maintaining the unity of the group.

Brazil had a consistent World Cup campaign, relying on the masterful performances of Romário and Bebeto, but above all on the goals of the Baixinho (Romário).

The Canarinhos defeated Italy on penalties after a goalless draw and secured their fourth World Cup, coincidentally or not, Zagallo’s fourth as well.

Image: Reprodução UOL

The 1997 Copa América

The man with so many significant titles would still have more to achieve in football.

With the victory in the World Cup, Parreira left the coaching role, leaving the position vacant.

Can you imagine who was chosen to assume the role? Yes, it was the Old Wolf himself.

Despite being part of all the Brazilian World Cup victories until then, Zagallo faced significant mistrust from the national media, being heavily criticized for poor results in friendlies and second-tier tournaments.

He then assembled one of the most devastating Brazilian national teams, featuring an attacking duo of simply Romário and Ronaldo Fenômeno (Ronaldo).

Brazil delivered spectacular performances under the leadership of the Old Wolf, such as the 5-0 victory in the opener against Costa Rica and the 7-0 win against Peru in the semifinals.

However, not everything was smooth sailing; quite the opposite.

As mentioned earlier, Zagallo and Romário did not have a close relationship, to say the least. In the first match, the Baixinho complained in a press conference about being substituted. Zagallo reprimanded him.

Years later, the Old Wolf claimed that Romário had feigned an injury in the semifinal of the competition, which was denied by the number 9.

Nevertheless, Brazil became champions, defeating Bolivia 3-1, in the Bolivian’s own backyard, dealing with the altitude of La Paz.

With the final whistle, there was an explosion and one of, if not the most memorable interview of the Brazilian national team:

“

I can speak now! We won! With difficulty. We didn’t have the same speed (takes a deep breath – a lot of difficulty due to the altitude of La Paz).

But we had heart! This is for you. You know who you are. I don’t need to say anything more.

You’ll have to swallow me!

“

Honorable mention goes to the 1998 World Cup, where despite all the criticism, he led Brazil to the final.

Image: Reprodução OGlobo

Number 13 and Farewell

One of the most striking stories about the Old Wolf was the number 13.

Completely enamored with the digit, he explains that it all started with his wife, Alcina, a fervent devotee of Saint Anthony.

The coincidences (or not) with the number 13 began on his wedding day, January 13, 1955. Additionally, the 13th was Alcina’s birthday.

When he transitioned to coaching Botafogo, he also adopted the number 13 and proceeded to win the aforementioned titles.

With or without 13 letters, Zagallo was respected wherever he went. Not just as a player, coach, or coordinator but as a human being.

He has always been an example of resilience coupled with talent. The greatest personality in Brazilian football, just behind Pelé.

That is a lot. It becomes immeasurable.

With his passing at the advanced age of 92, figures from the world of sports and beyond gathered to offer condolences to the family and friends.

Remember that Romário and he didn’t have the best of relationships? Regardless of any past issues, Romário publicly praised the image of Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo, acknowledging his significance to the Brazilian nation.

Zagallo, eternal (13 letters).

Image: Reprodução Instagram

Written by Vitor F L Miller.