Nilton Santos: One of Brazil’s football greats
1925-2013
NILTON Santos, the former Brazilian footballer who has died at the age of 88, was perhaps the finest left fullback in the game’s history. He popularised the concept of the attack-minded defender, won the World Cup with the national side in 1958 and 1962, and in 1998 was selected by Fifa for its “XI of the Century”.
Tall and solidly built but stylish on the ball, Santos made his international debut in 1949 in the side that won the Copa Americana.
By the time of the World Cup in Switzerland in 1954, Brazil had begun to evolve a new tactical system: 4-2-4 rather than the 3-5-2 which then predominated. It was a fluid style that played to the attacking strengths of Santos and his fullback counterpart, Djalma Santos, encouraging them to advance along the wings. It was a strategy similar to that being adopted by the most skilful team of the time, the Hungary of Puskas and Hidegkuti, and the meeting of the two sides in the competition’s quarterfinals was eagerly anticipated.
The outcome was, however, a disgraceful orgy of foul play dubbed “The Battle of Berne”, which concluded with three men being sent off. Santos’s part was among the least distinguished, for it was his two-footed assault on Joszef Bozsik, the Hungarian playmaker, which brought the game to boiling point. Bozsik, who was also a deputy in Hungary’s parliament, retaliated with punches and, amid a flurry of blows, both were dismissed by the English referee, Arthur Ellis. When Santos refused to walk, the police were summoned. Hungary eventually won the game 4-2.
Santos redeemed himself four years later in Sweden when Brazil won their first World Cup. His greatest influence was perhaps his astute psychological management of his teammates. He was credited with knowing all the secrets of the game (his nickname was “The Encyclopaedia of Football”), and it was his strength of personality that prevailed over the doubts of the coach, Vicente Feola, who was persuaded to include in the side both the 17-year-old Pele and Santos’s clubmate Garrincha from the last group match onwards. Both would play a key part in Brazil’s eventual 5-2 victory over Sweden in the Final.
Four years later, Santos — by then 37 — was picked for the World Cup to be held in Chile. His experience would prove vital to the team when they lost their chief inspiration, Pele, to injury in their second game.
Nilton dos Reis Santos was born in Rio de Janeiro on May 16 1925. He started his career in professional football relatively late, joining Botafogo at the age of 23. So grateful was he for the chance to make his mark that, although naturally left-footed, he did not complain when the club’s coach, Zeze Moreira (later manager of the national team in the 1954 World Cup), at first insisted on playing him on the right. Santos soon made the left back position his own, however, and remained with Botafogo until he retired 16 years later, having played 743 games for the side, then a league record. — Telegraph, London