BRAZIL 1982 THE GREATEST EVER LOSERS
FFT understands how with Zico and the gang
Thirty-eight years on, there is still pride in Zico’s voice while he discusses the part he played in one of the most famous teams in World Cup history.
“Wherever I go in the world – and I’ve been to many places – everyone talks about Brazil’s team of 1982,” the 67-year-old tells FourFourTwo. “We tried as hard as we could, but sadly it wasn’t quite enough.”
In Brazil, they have spent recent weeks revisiting that iconic summer. With football in lockdown, one television channel decided to cheer up the nation by screening every Selecao fixture in Spain. “They showed all of our games from 1982, even though we weren’t champions,” explains Zico. Trophy or no trophy, the love remains.
Revered in Brazil and beyond, Tele Santana’s team of ’82 are frequently regarded as the greatest team not to win the World
Cup. Their talents and imagination produced spectacular goal after spectacular goal, enthralling audiences around the globe. Brazil didn’t become world champions – in fact, they didn’t even make the semi-finals. Eventually, it all came crashing down in the Tragedia do Sarria. But, boy, it was fun while it lasted.
GRAIN FOR GOALS
Four years earlier, the Brazil squad huddled around a TV in the Argentine city of Mendoza. Hours before, they had defeated Poland 3-1 in the second group stage of the 1978 World Cup, moving themselves to the brink of the final. The Selecao had finished the stage unbeaten, a 3-0 win over Peru followed by
