FIFA World Cup History 1962: The 1958 Sweden World Cup gave the world of football a new emperor. Seventeen-year-old Pelé was no longer just a Brazilian player. He had become the face of world football. His goals, his smile, his humility and his extraordinary talent made him the most popular player in the world. Brazil, which had suffered the Maracana tragedy in 1950, had now become the new center of world football. But there is a rule of sports history. Reaching the top is difficult, but staying there is even more difficult.
The 1962 World Cup is the story of this test. The world was changing during four years. The Cold War was reaching its peak. There was competition between America and the Soviet Union in space, science, military power and ideology. Many countries in Africa and Asia were becoming independent. Television was rapidly connecting the world. And meanwhile football had also become more popular than ever.
Chile got the hosting rights of 1962 World Cup. This decision was not just a sporting achievement. In 1960, Chile suffered one of the most powerful earthquakes in history. Lakhs of people were affected. There was massive destruction. In such a situation, many people suggested that the World Cup should be given to some other country. But Chile did not give up. This earthquake is called ‘Valdivia Earthquake’. Its intensity was measured at 9.5 on the Richter scale. The sports infrastructure was completely destroyed. Yet the Chilean government rebuilt the stadiums in record time.
Carlos Ditborn, head of the organizing committee, said a sentence that later became part of World Cup history: “Since we have nothing, we have to do everything.”
It was not just a slogan. It was a symbol of the will to live of the entire nation. The sad thing was that Carlos Ditborn himself could not see the start of this World Cup. He died of a heart attack just a month before the start of the tournament. Despite limited resources, economic difficulties and natural disaster, Chile hosted the World Cup. That is why the 1962 World Cup was not just a sporting event. Rather, it is also considered a story of human courage.
The biggest question before the tournament started was whether any team could stop Brazil. Brazil had Pele. Was Garinsha. Was Wawa. Diddy was there. It was Nilton Santos. It was almost the same team which had stunned the world in 1958. Most experts believed that if the players remained fit, it would be almost impossible to stop Brazil.
The beginning was the same. Brazil won its first match against Mexico. Pelé performed brilliantly and also scored the decisive goal. It seemed that the story of 1958 was about to be rewritten. But everything changed in the very second match.
Pelé suffered a serious muscle injury in the match against Czechoslovakia. At that time, medical facilities like today were not available for the players. After investigation it became clear that Pele would not be able to play further matches. Czechoslovakia captain Josef Masopust showed amazing sportsmanship in this match. When he saw that Pelé was limping, he forbade his players from tackling Pelé. They did not want to take advantage of the injured Pelé.
Concern spread throughout Brazil. The best player in the world was out. Many experts predicted that Brazil’s journey would not last long. But the hallmark of great teams is that they do not depend on just one player. Coach Aimor Moreira included young forward Amarildo in the team in place of Pelé. Amarildo handled this big responsibility very well. After Pelé’s departure, another player emerged – Garrincha. If Pele was the king of Brazil, Garrincha was its magician.
His real name was Manuel Francisco dos Santos, but the world knew him as Garrincha. His childhood was spent in extreme poverty. The structure of his legs was not normal. One leg was shorter than the other. Doctors believed that he might not even be able to play normal sports. Garinsha’s right leg was bent inwards and his left leg was six centimeters short. His spinal cord was also deformed since birth. Despite this physical structure, his dribbling speed was unimaginable.
Garrincha used to do something with the ball which is difficult to explain. He dodged the defenders again and again. Many times he would repeat the same moves and yet the opposing players would not be able to stop him. The audience would laugh, be amazed and be mesmerized by his play. A violent form of football also came to the fore in this tournament. The match between Italy and Chile was so violent that it was called the ‘Battle of Santiago’. The police had to intervene several times in the match. This is considered the most infamous match in football history. In Pelé’s absence, Garrincha took the burden of the entire tournament on his shoulders.
Brazil faced England in the quarter-finals. This competition was considered extremely difficult. But Garrincha scored two brilliant goals. Vava also scored and Brazil won 3–1. A dog had also entered the field during the match. England player Jimmy Greaves took him out in his lap. That dog had urinated on Greaves’ jersey. Garinsha found this incident so funny that he later adopted that dog.
Host Chile was in front in the semi-finals. The entire stadium was in support of Chile. But Garinsha shined again. He scored two goals and Brazil won 4–2 to reach the final. At the end of the match, Garrincha was shown a red card due to the aggression of the Chilean players. But FIFA overturned Garrincha’s red card despite pressure from Chilean fans so he could play the final.
Now Brazil was just one step away from becoming world champion for the second consecutive time. In the final it faced Czechoslovakia. Interestingly, this was the team against which Pele was injured. The final was played in Santiago on June 17, 1962. Czechoslovakia took the lead by scoring the first goal. For a few moments the heartbeats of the Brazilian supporters increased. This opening goal was scored by the same great Czechoslovakia captain, Josef Masopust, who showed great sportsmanship towards Pelé.
But the Brazil of 1950 and the Brazil of 1962 were different. This team did not break under pressure. Amarildo scored the equalizing goal. Then Zito took the lead. In the end, Wawa ensured the victory by scoring the third goal. Vava became the first player in the world to score a goal in two different World Cup final matches. He scored goals in both the 1958 and 1962 finals.
The score was — Brazil 3, Czechoslovakia 1. Brazil had become world champion for the second consecutive time.
This achievement was extraordinary. Italy won two consecutive World Cups in 1934 and 1938. But that was the pre-war era. This was the first time in modern football that a team had successfully defended its title. And the most important thing was that Brazil achieved this success without its biggest player.
The 1962 World Cup is special because it proved that greatness is not only of individuals but also of institutions. Pele was great. But Brazil was not the only Pelé. He had such depth of talent that the team could become world champions even if the world’s best player was out.
This World Cup immortalized Garrincha. Even today, many Brazilian fans believe that the 1962 World Cup was actually Garrincha’s World Cup. Pelé won the World Cup in 1958. Garrinsha saved him in 1962. A major Chilean newspaper had written the headline – “Which planet do Garrinchas come from?” He was also the joint top scorer of this tournament.
But there was an irony hidden behind this victory. This was the pinnacle of Brazil’s golden generation. Diddy, Wawa, Nilton Santos and many other players were reaching the final stages of their careers. Other teams in the world were also growing stronger rapidly.
A new power was emerging, especially in Europe.
That power was England.
The birthplace of football.
The country that gave the game to the world, but had not yet won the World Cup. In 1966, the World Cup was to be held in England for the first time. Brazil would arrive there with the dream of its third consecutive title. Pelé would return again.
But this time the story will not be his.
This will be the story of the nation which gave birth to football and which was going to become world champion for the first time.