China Daily

Zagallo in good spirits following health scare

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Iconic Brazilian player and coach Mario Zagallo was discharged from hospital on Sunday after a 12-day stay for a respirator­y infection, a hospital source said.

Zagallo, the first person to win the World Cup as both player and coach, will be able to celebrate his 91st birthday on Tuesday at home, after being admitted to intensive care at Rio de Janeiro’s Barra D’Or hospital on July 26.

“After some difficult days, I’m 113 percent better,” Zagallo posted on Instagram, where the “Old Wolf” has 116,000 followers.

“Thank you very much for all your support! Now you’ll have to put up with me again!” he added, with a picture of himself flashing a thumbs-up.

As a forward, Zagallo was part of the Brazil sides that won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962 alongside Pele.

He was then coach for Brazil’s 1970 title, assistant coach for the Selecao’s victory in 1994, and coach again in 1998 when Brazil lost in the final to France.

The only others to win the World Cup as both player and coach are *

Germany’s Franz Beckenbaue­r (1974 and 1990) and Didier Deschamps of France (1998 and 2018).

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