Gérson facts for kids

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Gérson

Gérson with Brazil in 1970
Personal information
Full name	Gérson de Oliveira Nunes
Date of birth	(1941-01-11) 11 January 1941 (age 84)
Place of birth	Niterói, Brazil
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1958	Canto do Rio
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1959–1963	Flamengo	58	(33)
1963–1969	Botafogo	99	(35)
1969–1972	São Paulo	33	(5)
1972–1974	Fluminense	21	(1)
Total		211	(74)
National team
1961–1972	Brazil	70	(14)
Honours Men's Football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Winner 1970 Mexico
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Gérson de Oliveira Nunes (born 11 January 1941), known simply as Gérson, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder. Gérson won many national championships with famous Brazilian clubs. These clubs included Flamengo, Botafogo, São Paulo, and Fluminense. He is best known as "the brain" of the Brazilian Football Team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.

Gérson's Early Life and Family

Gérson was born and grew up in Niterói, a city near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At school, his friends called him papagaio, which means "parrot". This nickname stayed with him throughout his life. Many of his teammates also used it.

Both Gérson's father and uncle were professional footballers in Rio. His father was good friends with Zizinho, a legendary Brazilian player. Zizinho was considered one of Brazil's best footballers before Pelé. Because of his family's football background, Gérson faced no problems when he decided to become a footballer too.

As a young boy, Gérson looked up to midfielders like Zizinho, Jair, and Danilo Alvim.

Becoming a Football Star

When Gérson joined his first club, Flamengo, he was compared to Didi. Didi was a very important midfield player of that time. Young Gérson had great skills and a powerful left-foot shot. He was also very smart on the field. He could control the game from the midfield.

One of his best abilities was to turn defense into attack quickly. He could send a long, accurate pass from deep in his own half. People soon started saying he would be Didi's successor.

Joining the National Team

Just one year after starting his professional career with Flamengo in 1959, Gérson was called to play for Brazil. He joined the Brazilian "amateur" team for the Pan-American Games in Chicago. A year later, he was a key player for the team at the Rome Olympics. He scored four goals there, but Brazil did not get past the first round.

By 1961, Gérson was the main playmaker for Flamengo. He was also chosen for the full national team. This team was preparing to defend their World Cup title in Chile. However, Gérson suffered a serious knee injury. He had to have surgery and could not join the team. This was one of many injuries that affected his career.

Moving to Botafogo

In 1963, Gérson decided not to sign a new contract with Flamengo. He moved to Botafogo. At that time, Botafogo had one of the most famous teams in Brazil. It included superstars like Garrincha, Didi, Nilton Santos, and Zagallo.

At Botafogo, Gérson became one of the most celebrated Brazilian players of his time. He helped them win several important titles:

• The Torneio Rio-São Paulo in 1964 and 1965.
• The Rio de Janeiro Championship in 1967 and 1968.
• The Brazilian Cup in 1968. This was Botafogo's first national title.

Later in his career, Gérson also played for São Paulo and Fluminense. Fluminense was his favorite team.

The 1970 World Cup Mastermind

Gérson is known as one of the best passers in World Cup history. Even though he didn't play well in the 1966 World Cup, he was the main strategist for the entire Brazil national team in the 1970 tournament. He is seen as the best passer and midfielder in that World Cup. He was also considered the second-best player in the 4–1 victory against Italy in the final, right after Pelé.

Overall, Gérson played 70 times for Brazil. He scored 14 goals for his country, including one in the 1970 World Cup final.

Gérson's Playing Style

Gérson played as a holding midfielder. However, he was also a very creative player in this role. He focused on keeping possession of the ball and making accurate passes. He was known as the "brain" behind the Brazilian team that won the 1970 World Cup.

He was excellent at keeping the ball and controlling the pace of the game. He could also quickly switch from defense to attack. He did this by sending sudden, accurate long passes to his teammates. Many consider him one of the best passers in football history. He is also seen as one of Brazil's greatest players ever. Gérson had a great sense of where to be on the field. He also had a powerful shot with his left foot. This earned him the nickname Canhotinha de Ouro, which means "Golden left foot" in Portuguese.

Career Statistics

Here are some of Gérson's career statistics:

• Brazil national team: 87 matches / 19 goals
• Flamengo: 153 matches / 80 goals
• Botafogo: 248 matches / 96 goals
• São Paulo: 75 matches / 12 goals
• Fluminense: 57 matches / 5 goals

Honours and Awards

Club Achievements

Flamengo

• Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 1961
• Rio de Janeiro State Championship: 1963

Botafogo

• Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 1964, 1966
• Taça Brasil: 1968
• Rio de Janeiro State Championship: 1967, 1968

São Paulo

• São Paulo State Championship: 1970, 1971

Fluminense

• Rio de Janeiro State Championship: 1973

International Achievements

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 1970

Individual Awards

• FIFA World Cup Silver Ball: 1970
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1970
• World XI: 1971
• World Soccer: The 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time
• Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame