Nílton Santos facts for kids
Nílton Santos in 1956
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| Full name | Nílton dos Santos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 16 May 1925 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 27 November 2013 (aged 88) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Left back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Botafogo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1948–1964 | Botafogo | 723 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1949–1962 | Brazil | 75 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Nílton dos Santos (16 May 1925 – 27 November 2013) was a Brazilian footballer. He mostly played as a wingback. This means he was a defender who also helped with attacks.
Nílton Santos was part of the Brazil teams that won the 1958 and 1962 World Cups. Many people think he was one of the best defenders ever. He is even in the World Team of the 20th Century.
The famous footballer Pelé named Nílton Santos as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in 2004. In 2009, he received the Golden Foot Legends Award. He was not related to his teammate Djalma Santos.
Contents
Playing for Clubs: Botafogo Legend
Nílton Santos was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was one of the first defenders to run forward and help score goals. This was a new way to play football back then. He once said that he wished today's players had more freedom to attack.
He played his entire professional club career for one team: Botafogo. He was known as "The Encyclopedia" because he knew so much about football. He was great at both defending and attacking. He also had excellent ball control skills.
Playing for Brazil: World Cup Hero
Nílton was a very important player for Brazil. He played in the 1954, 1958, and 1962 World Cup tournaments. He was also on the team for the 1950 World Cup, but he did not play in any games.
He became famous for scoring a goal in the 1958 World Cup against Austria. He dribbled the ball all the way across the field. His coach, Vicente Feola, kept telling him to go back to defense. But Nílton ignored him until he scored the goal!
Nílton Santos played for only two teams in his career. He played for Botafogo and the Brazil national team. He played 75 games for Brazil and scored 3 goals.
Later Life and Passing
Nílton Santos passed away on 27 November 2013. He was 88 years old. He died in Rio de Janeiro from a lung infection.
His Lasting Legacy
The home stadium of Botafogo, the Estádio Olímpico Nílton Santos, is named after him. This stadium is also known as Engenhão. It was used for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Awards and Achievements
Botafogo
- Campeonato Carioca: 1948, 1957, 1961, 1962
- Torneio Rio – São Paulo 1962, 1964
Brazil
- FIFA World Cup: 1958, 1962
- South American Championship: 1949
- Panamerican Championship: 1952
- Taça do Atlântico: 1956, 1960
- Copa Rio Branco: 1950
- Taça Oswaldo Cruz: 1950, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962
- Taça Bernado O'Higgins: 1955, 1961
Individual Awards
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1958
- World Soccer World XI: 1960, 1961
- World Team of the 20th Century: 1998
- FIFA 100: 2004
- Golden Foot: 2009, as a football legend
- IFFHS Brazilian Player of the 20th Century (9th place)
- The Best of The Best – Player of the Century: Top 50
- Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Nilton Santos para niños
- List of one-club men in association football
- History of Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
