World Cup winner Garrincha, one of Brazil's greatest footballers, died penniless in January 1983 after a life marked by 14 children and severe alcoholism. The official cause of death was cirrhosis of the liver, resulting from an alcoholic coma in Rio de Janeiro.
Football Career and 1962 World Cup Triumph
Garrincha was a key figure in Brazil's dominant teams of the 1950s and 1960s. While Pelé was the crown jewel, Garrincha emerged as the main man during the 1962 World Cup in Chile after Pelé suffered an injury. He became the first player to win the Golden Ball, Golden Boot, and the World Cup in the same tournament, cementing his legacy as one of the game's greats.
Personal Life and Struggles
Off the pitch, Garrincha was known for his dependency on alcohol, frequently drinking Cachaça, a Brazilian distilled spirit. He also fathered 14 children, most with his first wife Nair Marques, with whom he had eight children, but he engaged in several affairs. These personal issues, combined with financial mismanagement, left him destitute at the time of his death.
Legacy and Tributes
Despite his tragic end, Garrincha is revered in Brazil. His death sent shockwaves through the country. Pelé said: “Garrincha was an incredible player, one of the best there has ever been. He could do things with the ball that no other player could do.” Welsh defender Mel Hopkins, who faced Brazil in 1958, recalled: “It was difficult to know which way he was going to go because of his legs and because he was as comfortable on his left foot as his right, so he could cut inside or go down the line and he had a ferocious shot.” Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano paid tribute: “In the entire history of football, no one made more people happy.”
