Garrincha: The king of the playground and football's most hilarious icon
In the third excerpt of 'The Soccer 100', we look back at the career of Garrincha, the Brazilian legend who dazzled for 11 years.
Фото: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Автор: Wikimineboy
As part of our buildup to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we are publishing excerpts from 'The Soccer 100', our definitive guide to the greatest players of all time. Today, we feature the Brazilian legend who ranked 14th in our list, a man who illuminated the Brazil national side for 11 years.
Garrincha, known as 'Mané' to his friends, defied all logic. Born with significant physical challenges—one leg shorter than the other and both turned outwards—he seemed unlikely to ever play professional football. Yet, after a trial at Botafogo, his unique talent was undeniable, and he quickly became a sensation in Rio de Janeiro.
Unlike the more disciplined or distant Pelé, Garrincha was 'one of the gang'. His style wasn't built on rigid tactical plans; it was pure inspiration and instinct. He possessed a supernatural ability to dribble, treating defenders like props in a slapstick routine. Watching him felt like witnessing Charlie Chaplin on a football pitch—at once hilarious and undeniably brilliant.
His influence on Brazil's World Cup titles in 1958 and 1962 was immense. During the 1962 tournament in Chile, he stepped up as the team's primary attacking force after Pelé suffered an injury, scoring four goals and leading his country to glory.
Garrincha doesn’t think. He doesn’t need to. Rationality is foolish, a horse-drawn cart up against the vertiginous agility of instinct. He teaches us that nothing is more beautiful than speed. Nelson Rodrigues
Tragically, his post-retirement life was marked by severe alcohol issues and isolation. He passed away in 1983 at 49, but his legacy remains as the 'Joy of the People'. He served as an antidote to the misery of his era, a flawed but brilliant human who offered fans a dream when they lacked heroes elsewhere.