Didi (footballer, born 1928)
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Waldyr Pereira | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 8 October 1928 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 12 May 2001 | (aged 72)|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1944 | São Cristóvão FC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1945 | Industrial | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1945 | Rio Branco | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1945–1946 | Goytacaz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1946 |
Americano | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1947–1949[1] | Madureira | 32 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1949–1956 |
Fluminense | 150 | (51) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1956–1959 | Botafogo | 64 | (40) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1959–1960 |
Real Madrid | 19 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1960–1962 | Botafogo | 44 | (19) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1962–1964 | Sporting Cristal | 32 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1964–1965 | Botafogo | 11 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1965–1966 |
CD Veracruz | 29 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1966 | São Paulo | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1952–1962 | Brazil | 68 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1962–1964 | Sporting Cristal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1967–1969 | Sporting Cristal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1969–1970 | Peru | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1970–1971 | River Plate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1972–1975 | Fenerbahçe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1975 |
Fluminense | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1977 | Cruzeiro | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1977–1981 |
Al-Ahli (Jeddah) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1981 | Botafogo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1981 | Cruzeiro | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1982–1983 |
Al-Shabab[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1985 | Fortaleza | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1986 | São Paulo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1986 |
Alianza Lima | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1989–1990 | Bangu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Waldyr Pereira, also known as Didi (Portuguese pronunciation: [dʒiˈdʒi]; 8 October 1928 – 12 May 2001), was a Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder or as a forward. He played in three FIFA World Cups (1954, 1958, and 1962), winning the latter two.
An elegant and technical player, Didi was renowned for his range of passing, stamina and technique. He also was a free-kick specialist, being famous for inventing the
During his career, he was part of
Early life
Didi was born into a poor family in the city of Campos dos Goytacazes, 150 miles north of Rio de Janeiro. As a youngster, he sold peanuts in order to help his family, and began playing football in the streets [4][5] and nearly had his right leg amputated when he was 14 due to a severe infection following an injury to his knee. He later recovered and played for local clubs in his hometown.
Playing career
He became professional playing for
During the
At club level, he moved to
His greatest achievement came at the 1958 FIFA World Cup where he was player of the tournament.[7] From midfield, he masterminded the first of his two FIFA World Cup successes for Brazil. In 68 international matches he scored 20 goals,[8] including a dozen using his trademark free-kicks.
In 1959 he was signed by
After Real Madrid he came back to Botafogo being part one of the most successful Brazilian teams at club level of all times. The Botafogo in the early 60s with the well-known
After almost three successful years with Botafogo, he signed with
In 1965 he moved to the Mexican league to play for
Managerial career
After retiring as player he began a coach career with Sporting Cristal, and was called to manage the Peru national team in the 1970 FIFA World Cup, successfully guided the Peruvians qualifying at the expense of Argentina, repaying the debt for eliminating Peru from 1958 FIFA World Cup.[9] That team included stars like Teófilo Cubillas and Héctor Chumpitaz were eventually defeated in the quarter-finals by Brazil. In 1971, he managed the top Argentine club, River Plate, when he accepted a lucrative position, and had his apex in his coaching career with Turkish Giant Fenerbahçe, guiding the team to two consecutive Turkish First Division (later named Süper Lig) titles in 1973–1974 and later in 1974–1975.
He also coached important Brazilian clubs like
Later years
In October 2000, he was inducted into the FIFA Hall of Champions.[10] By this time he was quite ill and died the following year in Rio de Janeiro, at the age of 72, after contracting pneumonia from complications arising from intestinal cancer.[4]
Honours
Player
Botafogo
- Campeonato Carioca: 1957, 1961, 1962[11]
- Torneio Rio – São Paulo: 1962[11]
- Tournament Home: 1961, 1962, 1963
- Colombia International Tournament: 1960
- Pentagonal Club of Mexico: 1962
Fluminense
- Copa Rio: 1952
- State Championship: 1951
Real Madrid
- Ramon de Carranza Trophy: 1959
Brazil
- FIFA World Cup: 1958, 1962[11]
- Copa Oswaldo Cruz: 1955, 1958, 1961, 1962
- O'Higgins Cup: 1955, 1961
- Panamerican Championship: 1952
- Taça do Atlântico: 1956
Individual
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1958
- IFFHS Brazilian Player of the 20th Century (7th place)[12]
- IFFHS World Player of the 20th Century (19th place)[12]
- The Best of The Best – Player of the Century: Top 50[13]
- Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame
- Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Bronze): 2020[14]
- IFFHS South America Men's Team of All Time: 2021[15]
References
- ^ "Jornal dos Sports". Biblioteca Nacional Digital (in Portuguese).
- ^ "الشباب يلغي معسكره فالشرقية".
- ^ "Kings of the free-kick". FIFA.com. Retrieved 20 May 2014
- ^ a b c d Brian Glanville (15 May 2001). "Didi". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
- ^ a b c "Didi". The Telegraph. 15 May 2001. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
- ^ Maracanã Stadium, Sambafoot
- ^ ISBN 0-7475-6179-6.
- ^ Waldir Pereira "Didi" – International Appearances and Goals, RSSSF, 6 September 2006
- ^ "Ricardo Gareca y Waldir Pereira, los verdugos y héroes de Perú". 19 November 2017.
- ^ "Rivaldo on top of the world". FIFA. Archived from the original on 13 December 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2007.
- ^ a b c "Didi, the unflappable genius". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
- ^ a b IFFHS' Century Elections Archived 12 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Best of The Best" Archived 26 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 17 November 2015
- MARCA. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- ^ "IFFHS".
External links
- Didi at Sambafoot (archived)
- Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame (in Portuguese) at the Wayback Machine (archived 6 December 2008)