Pelé praises Luiz Bellini after the 1958 World Cup winning captain passes away

Pelé was in the 1958 World Cup winning Brazil side alongside Heraldo Luiz Bellini who passed away on Thursday and the King of Brazilian football has paid tribute following his former captain’s death. Bellini was the first Brazilian to captain his side to a World Cup win and was also the first to symbolically lift […]
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sambafoot_admin
2014-03-21 16:45:00

Pelé was in the 1958 World Cup winning Brazil side alongside Heraldo Luiz Bellini who passed away on Thursday and the King of Brazilian football has paid tribute following his former captain’s death.

Bellini was the first Brazilian to captain his side to a World Cup win and was also the first to symbolically lift the Jules Rimet trophy above his head – this is now an action repeated by every World Cup winning captain.

The 1958 World Cup in Sweden was Pelé’s first and the King has thanked his former captain Bellini for helping him.

Pelé spoke to Globo Esporte and said: “In the 1958 World Cup, he was one of the players who gave me much guidance.

“He was one of the most experienced and I was only 17-years-old, I was young and everything was new to me.

“(Bellini’s death) is a great loss for Brazilian football.”

The tribute from Pelé certainly won’t be the last for Bellini who is revered as a giant of Brazilian football and a Seleção legend.