The 7th of November 2021 was a day of mourning for the fans of Athletico-PR. Striker Sicupira, the biggest idol in the club’s history, died aged 77 due to lung problems. The death of the “King of Bicycles” was widely commented on in the main sports newspapers in the country, as he had also acted as a football commentator.
In the last ten years we also had other important losses of great national football idols. In the list below, remember more about Sicupira and these other stars who have been missed by the fans of the respective clubs in which they were successful:
- Sicupira
Reproduction
Born in Curitiba, Barcímio “Sicupira” Júnior, born in 1944, made history at Athletico-PR, where he played from 1968 to 1975. He is the greatest scorer in the club’s history with 156 goals, and became known as the “King of Bicycles “, for having scored several goals in this way during his career. The striker also had relevant spells for Botafogo and Corinthians.
- Dirceu Krüger
Coritiba Football Clube
Athletico-PR’s biggest rival is Coritiba, and the club also recently lost its biggest idol: Dirceu Krüger. “Flecha Loira”, as he was known, died in 2019, at the age of 74, due to complications after surgery for intestinal obstruction. The former midfielder played in Coxa from 1966 to 1975 and participated in the historic campaign for the fifth championship in Paraná (1971-1975).
- Carlos Alberto Torres
Correio da Manhã
One of the greatest right-backs of all times in the history of football, Carlos Alberto died in 2016, aged 72, from a massive heart attack. Considered one of the greatest idols in the history of Fluminense and Santos, he lifted the cup for the Brazilian team’s three-time world championship in the 1970 World Cup.
- Djalma Santos
Reproduction
Djalma, like Carlos Alberto, was also a right-back and is considered one of the position’s historical masters. He was two-time World Cup champion with the Brazilian team, winning the 1958 and 1962 tournaments. He played for only three clubs in his career, but was successful in becoming an idol in all of them: Portuguesa, Palmeiras and Athletico-PR. He died in 2013, aged 84, from cardiorespiratory arrest.
- Nílton Santos
Reproduction
Nílton Santos or the “Football Encyclopedia”, as he was affectionately known. This nickname came about because of his knowledge of football. He played at left-back, a position that revolutionized, and is considered one of the greatest idols in the history of Botafogo, a club he defended throughout his career between 1948 and 1964. He was two-time World Cup champion with Brazil (1958 and 1962) and died aged 88 in 2013, after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The Fogão stadium was named in honor of the ace.
- Socrates
Gazeta Press
Touted by many as the greatest idol in Corinthians history, Sócrates died in 2011, aged 57, due to an upper digestive hemorrhage. The ace played in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups with the Brazilian team and was a three-time champion in São Paulo for Timão (1979, 1982 and 1983), a club he defended between 1978 and 1984.
Biggest idols of Brazilian clubs
Placar Magazine
Check in the table below which are considered the biggest historical idols of the twelve biggest Brazilian clubs according to their giant fans:
Club |
Maior idol |
Period |
Main Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlético-MG | Reinaldo | 1973 à 1985 | 4 X champion Mineiro (1979-1983) |
| Botafogo | Garrincha | 1953 à 1965 | 3 X champion Carioca (1957, 1961 et 1962) |
| Corinthians | Sócrates | 1978 à 1984 | 3 X champion Paulista |
| Cruzeiro | Tostão | 1964 à 1971 | Champion Brésilien 1966 |
| Flamengo | Zico | 1971 à 1983 e 1985 à 1989 | Mondial des Clubs 1981 |
| Fluminense | Castilho | 1946 a 1965 | 3 X Champion Carioca (1951, 1959 et 1964) |
| Grêmio | Renato Gaúcho | 1980 à 1986, 1991 e 1995 | Mondial des clubs 1983 |
| Internacional | Falcão | 1973 à 1980 | 3 Championnat brésilien (1975, 1976 et 1979) |
| Palmeiras | Ademir da Guia | 1962 à 1977 | 5 X champion brésilien (1967, 1967, 1969, 1972 et 1973) |
| Santos | Pelé | 1956 à 1974 | 2 X Mondial des Clubs en 1962 et 1963 |
| São Paulo | Rogério Ceni | 1990 à 2015 | Mondial des clubs 2005 |
| Vasco | Roberto Dinamite | 1971 à 1979 e 1980 à 1982 | Champion brésilien de 1974 |
In addition to Sócrates, Garrincha and Castilho also died in 1983 and 1987, respectively.
The biggest idol figure can change over the years. Several stars shone for the clubs mentioned and threaten the number one position of idolatry of these former players. Cases such as Ronaldinho Gaúcho in Galo, Cássio in Timão, Fábio in Raposa, Gabigol in Fla and Fred in Flu are some of these examples. So, who do you consider your club’s biggest idol?
