Mário Zagallo facts for kids

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Mário Zagallo

Zagallo in 1974
Personal information
Full name	Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo
Date of birth	(1931-08-09)9 August 1931
Place of birth	Atalaia, Brazil
Date of death	5 January 2024(2024-01-05) (aged 92)
Place of death	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height	1.67 m
Playing position	Inside forward, left winger
Youth career
1948–1949	America
1950–1951	Flamengo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1951–1958	Flamengo	217	(30)
1958–1965	Botafogo	115	(46)
Total		332	(76)
National team
1958–1964	Brazil	33	(5)
Teams managed
1966–1970	Botafogo
1967–1968	Brazil
1970–1974	Brazil
1971–1972	Fluminense
1972–1974	Flamengo
1975	Botafogo
1976–1978	Kuwait
1978	Botafogo
1979	Al-Hilal
1980–1981	Vasco da Gama
1981–1984	Saudi Arabia
1984–1985	Flamengo
1986–1987	Botafogo
1988–1989	Bangu
1989–1990	United Arab Emirates
1990–1991	Vasco da Gama
1991–1994	Brazil (coordinator)
1994–1998	Brazil
1999	Portuguesa
2000–2001	Flamengo
2002	Brazil (caretaker)
2003–2006	Brazil (coordinator)
Honours Men's football Representing  Brazil (as player) FIFA World Cup Winner 1958 Sweden Winner 1962 Chile South American Championship Runner-up 1959 Argentina Representing  Brazil (as coordinator) FIFA World Cup Winner 1994 USA Representing  Brazil (as manager) FIFA World Cup Winner 1970 Mexico Runner-up 1998 France Copa América Winner 1997 Bolivia Runner-up 1995 Uruguay FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 1997 Saudi Arabia CONCACAF Gold Cup Runner-up 1996 USA Bronze 1998 USA Olympic Games Bronze 1996 Atlanta Team Representing  Kuwait (as manager) AFC Asian Cup Runner-up 1976 Iran
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo ( 9 August 1931 – 5 January 2024) was a Brazilian professional football player, coordinator and manager, who played as a forward.

Zagallo holds the record for World Cup titles in general with four titles in total. He also holds the record for World Cup finals with six participations, in addition to being on the pitch during the 1950 final as a young soldier providing security for the event on the behalf of the Brazilian Armed Forces. He was the first person to win the FIFA World Cup as both a manager and as a player, winning the competition in 1958 and 1962 as a player, in 1970 as manager, and in 1994 as assistant manager. Zagallo also coached Brazil in 1974 (finishing fourth) and in 1998 (finishing as runners-up) and was a technical assistant in 2006. He is the first of three men, along with Germany's Franz Beckenbauer and France's Didier Deschamps to have won the World Cup as a player and as a manager and the only one that has done it more than twice.

In 1992, Zagallo received the FIFA Order of Merit, the highest honour awarded by FIFA, for his contributions to football. He was named the 9th Greatest Manager of All Time by World Soccer Magazine in 2013. On 5 January 2024, Zagallo died at the age of 92. He was the last surviving Brazilian player who participated in the 1958 World Cup final.

Early life

Zagallo was born in Atalaia on 9 August 1931. As a young man, he worked as a soldier, working at the Maracanã Stadium when Uruguay defeated Brazil in the 1950 World Cup final.

Playing career

Zagallo during his playing career

Zagallo started his football career with América in 1948, and he later played for Flamengo and Botafogo.

He won the World Cup as a player with Brazil in 1958 and 1962. At the time of the 1958 tournament, Zagallo was a Flamengo player, but by the 1962 event, he was with Botafogo.

He won a total of 33 caps for Brazil between 1958 and 1964.

Style of play

Zagallo with Pelé in 1970

Zagallo was a diminutive left winger with a small physique, who was known for his technical skills and his high defensive work-rate, as well as his ability to make attacking runs from deeper areas of the pitch. He was also capable of playing as a forward, either as a main striker, or as an inside forward.

Managerial career

Zagallo started his managerial career at Botafogo, the club he had finished his career with, managing them alongside the Brazil national team. Zagallo won the World Cup as a manager in 1970, and as assistant coach in 1994, both with Brazil. He was the first person to win the World Cup both as a player and as a manager. Winning the World Cup in 1970 at the age of 38, he is also the second youngest coach to win a World Cup, after Alberto Suppici, who won aged 31 with Uruguay in 1930.

Zagallo's Brazil team in 1970 played a 4–2–3–1 formation. The team prepared for nearly three months for the tournament, acclimatising to the heat and altitude of the Mexican summer. Zagallo said that the team won most of their games in the second half, where they scored 12 of their 19 goals as opponents tired.

In November 2002, Zagallo came out of retirement to coach Brazil again, following Luiz Felipe Scolari's exit after winning that year's World Cup. On 20 November, in his only game, the team won 3–2 in a friendly away to South Korea.

Personal life

Zagallo (original family name Zakour, a Lebanese surname from Zahlé) married Alcina de Castro on 13 January 1955 at the Church of Capuchins in Rio de Janeiro. They remained together until de Castro's death on 5 November 2012. Mário and Alcina had four children. He was a practicing Catholic.

Zagallo's surname was spelled Zagalo for most of his career, including by himself, until he told a reporter in the 1990s that his surname on his birth certificate was Zagallo. He was also the only Brazilian World Cup-winning forward to be known by his surname.

In July 2022, Zagallo was admitted to hospital with a respiratory infection. In August 2023, he was hospitalized for 22 days due to a urinary infection. Following a brief hospitalization in Rio de Janeiro, he died on 5 January 2024 due to multiple organ failure. Zagallo was 92.

Nicknames

Zagallo was nicknamed The Professor by his players throughout his coaching career, due to his tactical awareness and commanding presence on the bench. He was also nicknamed Velho Lobo ("Old Wolf") due to his surname "Lobo", which means "wolf".

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	Win %
Botafogo		16 August 1966	18 July 1970	&&&&&&&&&&&&0238.&&&&&0238	&&&&&&&&&&&&&085.&&&&&085	&&&&&&&&&&&&&064.&&&&&064	&&&&&&&&&&&&&089.&&&&&089	&&&&&&&&&&&&&035.71000035.71
Brazil (caretaker)		19 September 1967	19 September 1967	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.000
Brazil		22 March 1970	6 July 1974	&&&&&&&&&&&&&062.&&&&&062	&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.&&&&&042	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&067.74000067.74
Fluminense		5 September 1971	17 March 1972	&&&&&&&&&&&&&054.&&&&&054	&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&051.85000051.85
Flamengo		24 June 1972	13 November 1974	&&&&&&&&&&&&0176.&&&&&0176	&&&&&&&&&&&&&088.&&&&&088	&&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039	&&&&&&&&&&&&&049.&&&&&049	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
Botafogo		1975	December 1975	&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&076.19000076.19
Kuwait		5 February 1976	23 March 1978	&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&058.&6000058.06
Botafogo		14 September 1978	31 December 1978	&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&051.72000051.72
Al-Hilal		5 January 1979	26 December 1979	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&066.67000066.67
Vasco da Gama		4 October 1980	28 May 1981	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050	&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&052.&&&&&052.00
Saudi Arabia		23 February 1981	31 March 1984	&&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&&&&&037	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.24000043.24
Flamengo		18 December 1984	31 August 1985	&&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056	&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
Botafogo		29 December 1986	27 November 1987	&&&&&&&&&&&&&087.&&&&&087	&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027	&&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035	&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025	&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&3000031.03
Bangu		3 November 1988	27 June 1989	&&&&&&&&&&&&&067.&&&&&067	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017	&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030	&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020	&&&&&&&&&&&&&025.37000025.37
United Arab Emirates		2 September 1989	12 June 1990	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.67000016.67
Vasco da Gama		2 October 1990	16 May 1991	&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.&&&&&046	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.39000017.39
Brazil		13 December 1994	12 July 1998	&&&&&&&&&&&&&074.&&&&&074	&&&&&&&&&&&&&055.&&&&&055	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&074.32000074.32
Associação Portuguesa		18 July 1999	13 October 2000	&&&&&&&&&&&&0102.&&&&&0102	&&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039	&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027	&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036	&&&&&&&&&&&&&038.24000038.24
Flamengo		3 March 2001	31 December 2001	&&&&&&&&&&&&&065.&&&&&065	&&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&049.23000049.23
Brazil (caretaker)		20 November 2002	20 November 2002	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.000
Total				&&&&&&&&&&&01239.&&&&&01,239	&&&&&&&&&&&&0558.&&&&&0558	&&&&&&&&&&&&0355.&&&&&0355	&&&&&&&&&&&&0326.&&&&&0326	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&4000045.04

Honours

Zagallo in 2008

Player

Flamengo

• Rio de Janeiro State Championship: 1953, 1954, 1955

Botafogo

• Rio-São Paulo Tournament: 1962, 1964
• Rio de Janeiro State Championship: 1961, 1962

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 1958, 1962

Individual

• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1962
• Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame

Manager

Botafogo

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1968
• Rio de Janeiro State Championship: 1967, 1968

Fluminense

• Rio de Janeiro State Championship: 1971

Flamengo

• Copa dos Campeões: 2001
• Rio de Janeiro State Championship: 1972, 2001

Al-Hilal

• Saudi Premier League: 1978–79

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 1970
• Copa América: 1997
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 1997

Kuwait

• Arabian Gulf Cup: 1976

Coordinator

Brazil

• FIFA World Cup: 1994

Individual

• IFFHS World's Best National Coach: 1997
• World Soccer Magazine 9th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013
• FourFourTwo 27th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2020

See also

In Spanish: Mário Zagallo para niños

• List of FIFA World Cup records and statistics#Coaching
• List of Brazil national football team managers