Beyond just his brilliant use of the bicycle kick, mesmerising fans the world over, Leônidas da Silva remains one of Brazil’s greatest attacking talents
Tag: brazil
Arthur Friedenreich: the first mixed-race hero in Brazilian football and the architect of their early glories
Beyond scoring over 1,000 career goals, Arthur Friedenreich’s legacy goes far deeper: he remains revered in Brazil for his role in diversifying football
Charles William Miller: the man who brought the joy of football to Brazil
“Britain used sports, amongst other methods, in an attempt to control a country. But, with football, they instead succeeded in setting one free”
Marcelinho: the maverick Brazilian who lit up the Bundesliga
As Brazilian mavericks go, the Bundesliga probably hasn’t seen a more naturally gifted one than the wild and unpredictable Marcelinho Paraíba
In defence of Fred, Brazil’s unfashionable number nine who became the face of failure in 2014
A success at club level wherever he went, Brazilian striker Fred would sadly become the face of failure the 2014 World Cup on home soil
The rise of Ramires and his descent from prominence
A brilliant ball-carrier and versatile, Ramires at his peak was indispensable for Chelsea. Sadly that peak came too soon and didn’t last long
How will the divisive new political landscape in Brazil affect football?
In keeping with the past, politics and football in Brazil are on a collision course once again. But how will Jair Bolsonaro affect the beautiful game?
Deciphering Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazilian football’s most decorated and enduring manager
He’s been attacked by the media and puched by his own fans, but through it all, Luiz Felipe Scolari has remained steadfast in his approach to football
Rivaldo: the shameless showman from the favelas
Peter Schmeichel often produced not only brilliant reactions with his saves but brilliant reactions to goals he could not save. He was a great animator between the sticks for Manchester United, and perhaps…
The fleeting brilliance of Grafite, the man who fired Wolfsburg to the title
While his time at the top was short, the memories left behind by Brazilian striker Grafite have scarred images into the minds of fans the world over
Remembering Giovane Élber, Bayern Munich’s rampant Brazilian legend
Over the years, Bayern Munich have been blessed with a litany of wonderful strikers: Gerd Müller lit up the 1970s with 508 goals for Die Roten, while Karl-Heinz Rummennigge, his striking partner…
The 2001 Copa América: a tournament of classic upsets that may never have taken place
Euro 2000 was, by almost any measure, a fantastic international tournament. There were plenty of goals, storylines and upsets throughout the three-week festival of football in Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as…
The night Marta became the greatest talent in the women’s game
This feature is part of Virtuoso After the game against Czechoslovakia in the group stages of the 1970 World Cup, when he audaciously tried to chip opposing goalkeeper Viktor from the halfway…
How Pelé, at just 17, dominated the 1958 World Cup final
This feature is part of Virtuoso When Maria Callas strode onto the stage as Elvira to perform at the magnificent Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice in 1949, her breathtaking vocal range…
How Marcos Senna broke football down into its simplest and very best form
Playing football is simple,” Johan Cruyff once proclaimed. “But playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.” It’s a sentiment that clearly echoed in the mind of a certain Marcos Senna when…
Diego Ribas: the other half of a double act once destined for greatness
Illustration by Emir Can Seviindik Every generation has players that didn’t quite live up to the potential that everyone thought they had. For one reason or another, some just miss the grade…
Why the trailblazing Dida deserves to be remembered as one of his generation’s best goalkeepers
Zlatan Ibrahimović simply puts his hands on his head, while Andy van der Meyde drops to his knees in disbelief. It is the 94th minute of a Champions League group match between AC…
Anderson: the rise and rapid decline of a player once touted as the world’s best youngster
Blackpool’s solitary season in the Premier League was certainly an eventful one. Under the eccentric guidance of Ian Holloway, it started in the best possible fashion, with a 4-0 thrashing of Wigan…