Vavá Facts for Kids

This article is about Vava (disambiguation)|Vava. For other uses, see Vavá (disambiguation).

In this Portuguese name, the second or paternal family name is Izídio. "Neto" is a generational suffix meaning "grandson", which is used for someone whose name is the same as their father and grandfather, like "III" in English.

Quick facts for kids
Vavá

Vavá in 1962

Personal information

Full name

Edvaldo Izídio Neto

Date of birth

12 November 1934

Place of birth

Recife, Brazil

Date of death

19 January 2002 (aged 67)

Place of death

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Height

1.74 m (5 ft 81⁄2 in)

Playing position

Striker

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

1949–1950

Sport Recife

1951–1958

Vasco da Gama

456

(191)

1958–1961

Atlético Madrid

(31)

1961–1963

Palmeiras

142

(71)

1964–1967

América

1967–1968

Toros Neza

1968

San Diego Toros

(5)

1969

Portuguesa

National team

1955–1964

Brazil

(15)

Teams managed

1971–1972

Córdoba

1974–1975

Córdoba

1977–1978

Granada

1984–1985

Al Rayyan

Honours

Men's Football

Representing Brazil
FIFA World Cup
Winner	1958 Sweden
Winner	1962 Chile

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Edvaldo Izidio Neto (born November 12, 1934 – died January 19, 2002), known as Vavá, was a famous Brazilian footballer. Many people think he was one of the best strikers of his time. A striker is a player whose main job is to score goals.

Vavá's nickname was "Peito de Aço," which means "Steel Chest." He played as a main striker for big clubs like Sport Club do Recife, C.R. Vasco da Gama, and S.E. Palmeiras. He also played for the Brazil national football team.

Vavá's International Football Career
- Winning the FIFA World Cup
- Scoring in World Cup Finals
Vavá's Club Football Career
- Playing for Brazilian Clubs
- Playing for International Clubs
Vavá's Football Achievements
Images for kids
See also

Vavá's International Football Career

Vavá played for the Brazil national football team from 1955 to 1964. He played 20 games and scored 15 goals for his country.

Winning the FIFA World Cup

Vavá was a key player when Brazil won the FIFA World Cup twice in a row. They won in 1958 and again in 1962. In the 1958 World Cup, he scored 5 goals. In the 1962 World Cup, he scored 4 goals.

Because of his great performance in 1962, he shared the World Cup Golden Shoe award. This award goes to the player who scores the most goals in the tournament. He was also part of Brazil's team for the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Scoring in World Cup Finals

Vavá made history by scoring goals in two different World Cup finals. He scored twice in the 1958 final and once in the 1962 final. He was the first player ever to do this!

Only a few other players have achieved this amazing feat. These include football legends like Pelé, Paul Breitner, Zinedine Zidane, and Kylian Mbappé. Vavá was also the only player to score in two World Cup finals in a row until Kylian Mbappé did it in 2022.

Vavá's Club Football Career

Vavá played for many different football clubs during his career. He started in Brazil and later played in Spain, Mexico, and the United States.

Playing for Brazilian Clubs

In Brazil, Vavá played for Sport Club do Recife early in his career. He then moved to Vasco da Gama, where he played many games and scored a lot of goals. Later, he played for S.E. Palmeiras.

Playing for International Clubs

After his time in Brazil, Vavá moved to Spain to play for Atlético Madrid. He also played for Club América in Mexico and San Diego Toros in the United States.