Mario Zagallo is number 25 in 90min's Top 50 Great Managers of All Time series. Follow the rest of the series over the course of the next five weeks.
It's the dream of aspiring footballers all across the globe to lift the World Cup. To be the conductor for an orchestra of jubilation that is spreading throughout your nation. To know you've brought so much joy to your country, and that your name has been etched into history books.
Whatever your dreams may be, you're not Mario Zagallo.
By all accounts he could be considered the greediest man in football, so accomplished at both playing and managing that he starved the rest of the world from coming close to success for so long.
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) 9 August 2018
Happy birthday to the first person to win the #WorldCup both as a player and a coach, Mario Zagallo! pic.twitter.com/xnDyiaNNLt
That's right, Zagallo has four World Cup triumphs to his name. Two as a player, one as an manager and one as an assistant manager respectively. The Brazilian blows everyone else out of the water when it comes to prosperity in this competition, with his name forever being associated with the tournament for one of a number of reasons.
Winning it as a player in 1958 and 1962, Zagallo featured alongside Pele in both of those tournaments in a magnificent forward line, scoring in the 1958 final alongside the legendary striker.
However, it was eight years after his second World Cup triumph where the world stopped in awe to witness was is rightly heralded as the greatest football team to grace the game. At least, if it isn't, it should be.
Career Honours |
Rio de Janeiro State Championship (1967, 1968, 1972, 2001) |
Taça Brasil (1968) |
FIFA World Cup (1970) |
FIFA Confederations Cup (1997) |
Copa America (1997) |
Copa dos Campeões (2001) |

At this point the Seleção were in a state of uncertainty. Blessed with a plethora of immense talent, previous manager

Rivellino had been overlooked by Saldanha, more than often resigned to the bench. However, Zagallo saw him for what he was: a classy dribbler with a monstrous left foot. There was also Jairzinho, lightening quick with the ball at his feet with the strength and incision to take anyone on one-on-one. In the heart of midfield there was Gerson, the puppet master who pulled all the strings and had the range of pass no other player in world football possessed. Oh, and then there was Pele and Tostão. Who could forget.
At the back, Felix stood in goal alongside a back four of captain
"He let the players play"
Pele
Os jogadores Clodoaldo, Rivelino, Pelé, Tostão e Zé Maria, campeões da Copa do Mundo de 1970. Foto de Domício Pinheiro pic.twitter.com/sgNbssaW2r
— Você Sabia? (@vocesabendo) 4 July 2019
#Botafogo players #Gérson #Arlindo #Jairzinho; #Garrincha and #MárioZagallo (August 1964). pic.twitter.com/bz7okekMg9
— OldFootballPhotos (@OldFootball11) 17 August 2018
Their biggest challenge followed. England awaited Zagallo's men but an injury in the opener to Gerson raised fears, with such a key piece in the Brazilian jigsaw deserting them.
They came close to a lead, only to be denied by what is widely regarded as the greatest save of all time by Gordon Banks. Unrelenting, Brazil continued forging ways to break down Bobby Moore's solid defence. It came with 30 minutes remaining, as Pele fed Jairzinho for the only goal of the game, meaning Brazil had come through their biggest test without a crucial cog in their machine.

Zagallo rested Rivellino for the final group game against Romania, yet still implored his side to entertain the world, which they did with gusto to set up a quarter final clash with Peru.
With Gerson back in the side, they not only beat the Peruvians, they schooled them.
Displaying every possible means of attack, they did everything that could be done on a football pitch for 90 minutes. From every angle they rained down on the South American side, with the confidence and arrogance to perform
This was another tricky test, and it was made even more tricky when Brazil fell behind to a 19th minute effort. However, they came storming back, and w
The 1970 World Cup Final between Italy and Brazil, by Getty Images/EMPICS pic.twitter.com/Oke3kxAid2
— Legends (@sportslegendx) 5 July 2019

It is one of the most replayed and talked about goals ever. Every detail, from the steady build up play to Pele’s languid yet sublimely waited pass, and the exquisitely timed run and emphatic finish of Carlos Alberto - it was the perfect way to cap off Zagallo’s greatest managerial achievement.
Carlos Alberto of Brazil after scoring vs Italy, June 21, 1970, Mexico pic.twitter.com/W68Uxpj4SK
— Dick van Mersbergen (@DeRookmagier) 1 July 2019
In doing so, he became the first man to win the World Cup as a player and manager. An accolade since matched, but never bettered.
He would go on to lift the trophy as assistant in 1994, while leading Brazil all the way to the final again in 1998.
Nothing, though, came close to 1970.
Teams Managed | Years |
Brazil | 1967-1968, 1970-1974, 1991-1994, 1994-1998, 2002, 2003-2006 |
Botafogo | 1966-1970, 1975, 1986-1987 |
Fluminense | 1971-1972 |
Flamengo | 1972-1974, 1984-1985, 2000-2001 |
Kuwait | 1976-1978 |
Al-Hilal | 1979 |
Vasco Da Gama | 1980-1981, 1990-1991 |
Saudi Arabia | 1981-1984 |
Bangu | 1988-1989 |
United Arab Emirates | 1989-1990 |
Portuguesa | 1999 |
Zagallo had crafted
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