Before they could set a record for winning an unprecedented five FIFA World Cups, Brazil had to experience one of the most painful defeats in football history.
It came in the final game of the 1950 World Cup, when the Brazilian national team was shocked by Uruguay in front of a packed Maracaná. 200,000 souls got their hearts broken as La Celeste came from behind to pull off the biggest upset of the century, turning things around against the host nation to lift the trophy in enemy territory.
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That feat went down as the ‘Maracanazo’, which to this day is still remembered as one of the most iconic games of all time.
Brazil arrived in the tournament as strong favorite to win the cup, as they organized the tournament with the hopes of celebrating the title in front of their people. Instead, it was Uruguay who tasted the ultimate glory on that occasion.
"A #WorldCup game is more than a football match, it's part of the identity of our society" ❤️#OnThisDay, 🇺🇾@Uruguay won the 1950 World Cup in Brazil – a game forever known as 'the Maracanazo' 🏆✨
Get a history lesson from @DiegoLugano, who discusses his favourite World Cup 👨🏫 pic.twitter.com/nyXSaDUVLy
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 16, 2019
Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo was one of the many Brazilians who witnessed that heartbreaking loss live, but not as a fan. The eventual football legend was there as a soldier as he served for the military police by then.
“I had the misfortune of seeing Brazil lose the World Cup. But before that, it was an immense joy to see the Maracana packed to the rafters,” he told Globo TV.
Only a few years later, the ‘Velho Lobo’ (Old Wolf) would lead Brazil to redemption in the 1958 World Cup, and the rest is history.
Documentary about Zagallo is released
The new documentary “Zagallo: Vocês vão ter que me engolir” (Zagallo: You’ll have to put up with me”) is now available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel. You can find the first two episodes here and expect new releases every Thursday.
The series tells the life story of Zagallo, from his early days with América – a popular club from Rio de Janeiro in the 1950s – until the 2006 World Cup debacle as an assistant coach.
The episodes include exclusive interview with important figures that were by his side, including former players, coaches and sports journalists that covered his stories for decades. The documentary intends to expose everything, from his glory days, controversies and even the failures of this unique figure of Brazilian football history.
“Zagallo: Vocês vão ter que me engolir” is an original production by Sambafoot Series and was developed since November 2023. The project is directed by Patrick Saint Martin and produced by Geovanne Peçanha.
