Leônidas da Silva
Birthplace: September 6, 1913, Brasil
Played for: Bonsucesso (1930 to 1932)
Vasco of Gama (1934)
Botafogo (1935 to 1936)
Flamengo (1936 to 1942)
São Paulo (1943 to 1950)
Biography: Leonidas, who died aged 90, was Brazil's finest player before they became a soccer superpower; the top scorer in the 1938 World Cup, he was also credited with having invented one of the most spectacular sights in football, the bicycle kick.
At the 1938 tournament, held in France, Europe stood on the brink of war, while all the South American teams bar Brazil snubbed the event as, though it was the turn of their continent to host the competition, Fifa had decided instead to honour Jules Rimet, who had founded the World Cup eight years before.
Brazil was not yet a leading football nation, but in the phenomenally agile and quick Leonidas - known as "The Black Diamond" - they possessed a world-class centre-forward. Their first match, against Poland, was one of the most exciting in a World Cup. At half-time the South Americans led 3-1, with Leonidas having claimed a hat-trick. The Poles then came back to tie at 4-4, Ernst Willimowski getting three for them. In extra time Leonidas became the first player to score four times in a World Cup game - five minutes before Willimowski duplicated his feat. Brazil eventually won 6-5, on a pitch so muddy that Leonidas played some of the second half in bare feet until the referee noticed.
In the second round Brazil met Czechoslovakia, runners-up four years previously. A brutal match ended 1-1, with three players dismissed and five others carried off. Leonidas scored two as Brazil won the replay.
Then, bizarrely, Brazil's coach, Ademar Pimenta, decided not to pick his star striker for the semi-final against defending champions Italy, confidently telling the press that he was resting Leonidas for the final. Brazil duly lost 2-1.
A chastened Pimenta restored Leonidas to the team for the third place match against Sweden, and he bagged two more goals as Brazil won 4-2. With eight goals in four games he had proved himself, at 28, among the best finishers in the world, but he was never to contest the Cup again.
Leonidas Da Silva was born in Rio de Janeiro on September 6 1913. His mother was black, his father a Portuguese sailor who died when Leo was 12. He was subsequently adopted by the family for whom his mother cooked.
In the late 1920s, his adoptive father opened a bar near the local side, Cristavao, and Leo made friends with the players as he carried their meals to them. Soon he was playing truant from Epitaceo Pessoa school to watch them.
He played first for the minor side Sirio-Libanese, and when they went broke in 1930 he moved on to Bonsucceso (where the stadium is now named after him). There his flair brought him to the notice of Penarol, one of Uruguay's leading teams, for whom he signed in 1933. It was their fans who gave him his nickname, but he had knee trouble and a season later was transferred to Rio, joining Vasco Da Gama.
This move generated much excitement among their supporters, as a year earlier he had marked his debut for the national side - against Uruguay - by scoring twice, the second a breathtaking mid-air volley over his shoulder while facing away from goal. This new scissors-like movement was soon christened the "bicycle kick" and Leonidas received the credit for devising it, though he later confessed that when young he had seen another player do something similar.
In 1934, he won the carioca (state championship) with Vasco before travelling to Italy for his first World Cup. The tournament was an unhappy experience for the Brazilians, who, because of their black players, were not allowed to mix with the other passengers or to train during the 12-day sea voyage.
Brazil were eliminated by Spain in the first round in Genoa, though Leonidas scored their goal in the 3-1 defeat, and found himself dubbed "The Rubber Man" by the press because of his array of tricks.
The next season he joined Botafogo, with whom he won the carioca in 1935, then moved on to Flamengo, where he remained until 1942. He helped them to the title in 1939, by then having become the most famous player in Brazil - before the advent of Pele. Brands of chocolate and cigarettes were named "Diamante Negro" after him, and he lived a playboy existence; his signing-on fee always made provision for him to be given two pairs of shoes and several cashmere shirts. He was also known for the number of his lovers, though he never married. In 1936 he did become engaged, but his fiancée's father - a judge - disapproved of his colour and the match was broken off.
Race was also the cause of the most celebrated incident in which he was involved, when in a game against the America club, whom he considered bigots, he whipped out his genitalia to show his contempt for them. The game was held up for 20 minutes, and he had to be given a police escort from the pitch.
Similar incidents that gave him a "bad boy" image came to a head in 1941, when it was discovered that he had falsified a certificate to escape military service. He was sent to prison for eight months, and on release was transferred from Rio to the Sao Paulo league. He had scored 142 goals in 179 games for Flamengo.
The Sao Paulo championship was then dominated by Corinthians, but the arrival of Leonidas broke their grip and he drew record crowds to the Pacaembu stadium as Sao Paulo won the title in 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948 and 1949.
He was only sporadically selected for the national side, however, and in 1949 he accused its coach, Flavio Costa, of being biased against players from the Sao Paulo league. The controversy finished his international career - he had scored a remarkable 25 times in 26 games. He then became coach of Sao Paulo, but quit after a season to concentrate on his property investments.
Leonidas subsequently became one of the best-known radio football commentators in Brazil, a job he performed until the 1974 World Cup, when listeners noticed his memory failing him. Alzheimer's Disease was diagnosed, and he spent most of his last 30 years in a rest home in Cotia, near Sao Paulo, unaware of his past triumphs or the reverence in which he was still held.
(from soccerpulse.com)
Birthplace: September 6, 1913, Brasil
Played for: Bonsucesso (1930 to 1932)
Vasco of Gama (1934)
Botafogo (1935 to 1936)
Flamengo (1936 to 1942)
São Paulo (1943 to 1950)
Biography: Leonidas, who died aged 90, was Brazil's finest player before they became a soccer superpower; the top scorer in the 1938 World Cup, he was also credited with having invented one of the most spectacular sights in football, the bicycle kick.
At the 1938 tournament, held in France, Europe stood on the brink of war, while all the South American teams bar Brazil snubbed the event as, though it was the turn of their continent to host the competition, Fifa had decided instead to honour Jules Rimet, who had founded the World Cup eight years before.
Brazil was not yet a leading football nation, but in the phenomenally agile and quick Leonidas - known as "The Black Diamond" - they possessed a world-class centre-forward. Their first match, against Poland, was one of the most exciting in a World Cup. At half-time the South Americans led 3-1, with Leonidas having claimed a hat-trick. The Poles then came back to tie at 4-4, Ernst Willimowski getting three for them. In extra time Leonidas became the first player to score four times in a World Cup game - five minutes before Willimowski duplicated his feat. Brazil eventually won 6-5, on a pitch so muddy that Leonidas played some of the second half in bare feet until the referee noticed.
In the second round Brazil met Czechoslovakia, runners-up four years previously. A brutal match ended 1-1, with three players dismissed and five others carried off. Leonidas scored two as Brazil won the replay.
Then, bizarrely, Brazil's coach, Ademar Pimenta, decided not to pick his star striker for the semi-final against defending champions Italy, confidently telling the press that he was resting Leonidas for the final. Brazil duly lost 2-1.
A chastened Pimenta restored Leonidas to the team for the third place match against Sweden, and he bagged two more goals as Brazil won 4-2. With eight goals in four games he had proved himself, at 28, among the best finishers in the world, but he was never to contest the Cup again.
Leonidas Da Silva was born in Rio de Janeiro on September 6 1913. His mother was black, his father a Portuguese sailor who died when Leo was 12. He was subsequently adopted by the family for whom his mother cooked.
In the late 1920s, his adoptive father opened a bar near the local side, Cristavao, and Leo made friends with the players as he carried their meals to them. Soon he was playing truant from Epitaceo Pessoa school to watch them.
He played first for the minor side Sirio-Libanese, and when they went broke in 1930 he moved on to Bonsucceso (where the stadium is now named after him). There his flair brought him to the notice of Penarol, one of Uruguay's leading teams, for whom he signed in 1933. It was their fans who gave him his nickname, but he had knee trouble and a season later was transferred to Rio, joining Vasco Da Gama.
This move generated much excitement among their supporters, as a year earlier he had marked his debut for the national side - against Uruguay - by scoring twice, the second a breathtaking mid-air volley over his shoulder while facing away from goal. This new scissors-like movement was soon christened the "bicycle kick" and Leonidas received the credit for devising it, though he later confessed that when young he had seen another player do something similar.
In 1934, he won the carioca (state championship) with Vasco before travelling to Italy for his first World Cup. The tournament was an unhappy experience for the Brazilians, who, because of their black players, were not allowed to mix with the other passengers or to train during the 12-day sea voyage.
Brazil were eliminated by Spain in the first round in Genoa, though Leonidas scored their goal in the 3-1 defeat, and found himself dubbed "The Rubber Man" by the press because of his array of tricks.
The next season he joined Botafogo, with whom he won the carioca in 1935, then moved on to Flamengo, where he remained until 1942. He helped them to the title in 1939, by then having become the most famous player in Brazil - before the advent of Pele. Brands of chocolate and cigarettes were named "Diamante Negro" after him, and he lived a playboy existence; his signing-on fee always made provision for him to be given two pairs of shoes and several cashmere shirts. He was also known for the number of his lovers, though he never married. In 1936 he did become engaged, but his fiancée's father - a judge - disapproved of his colour and the match was broken off.
Race was also the cause of the most celebrated incident in which he was involved, when in a game against the America club, whom he considered bigots, he whipped out his genitalia to show his contempt for them. The game was held up for 20 minutes, and he had to be given a police escort from the pitch.
Similar incidents that gave him a "bad boy" image came to a head in 1941, when it was discovered that he had falsified a certificate to escape military service. He was sent to prison for eight months, and on release was transferred from Rio to the Sao Paulo league. He had scored 142 goals in 179 games for Flamengo.
The Sao Paulo championship was then dominated by Corinthians, but the arrival of Leonidas broke their grip and he drew record crowds to the Pacaembu stadium as Sao Paulo won the title in 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948 and 1949.
He was only sporadically selected for the national side, however, and in 1949 he accused its coach, Flavio Costa, of being biased against players from the Sao Paulo league. The controversy finished his international career - he had scored a remarkable 25 times in 26 games. He then became coach of Sao Paulo, but quit after a season to concentrate on his property investments.
Leonidas subsequently became one of the best-known radio football commentators in Brazil, a job he performed until the 1974 World Cup, when listeners noticed his memory failing him. Alzheimer's Disease was diagnosed, and he spent most of his last 30 years in a rest home in Cotia, near Sao Paulo, unaware of his past triumphs or the reverence in which he was still held.
(from soccerpulse.com)
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