Didi

Brazilian playmaker, inventor of the folha seca free kick and a two-time World Cup winner.

via Wikipedia: Didi (footballer, born 1928) · see source

Didi was the football name of Waldyr Pereira, a Brazilian midfielder and forward who took part in three World Cups, in 1954, 1958 and 1962, and lifted the trophy in the last two. He was admired for elegant technique, huge stamina and the reach of his passing. He is best remembered for the folha seca, or dry leaf, a free kick that dips suddenly toward goal late in its flight, a technique later used by players such as Juninho and Cristiano Ronaldo. At the 1958 tournament he was named the best player of the competition and received the Golden Ball.

Quick Facts

Full name: Waldyr Pereira
Born: 8 October 1928
Birthplace: Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
Died: 12 May 2001
Place of death: Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
Height: 1.72 m / 5 ft 8 in
Position: Midfielder; Inside forward

Facts from the source article.

Background

Didi grew up poor in Campos dos Goytacazes, north of Rio de Janeiro, selling peanuts to help his family and learning the game in the street. At 14 a knee injury became so badly infected that he almost lost his right leg. After starting out with Madureira he moved to Fluminense in 1949, where he stayed until 1956, playing 298 matches and scoring 91 goals. In June 1950 he scored the very first goal at the Maracanã. He later joined Botafogo, winning the Rio state title in 1957, and in 1959 Real Madrid signed him. His time in Spain was brief and marked by friction with Alfredo Di Stéfano, but he was part of the 1959–60 European Cup win, making him the first player to hold both that trophy and the World Cup.

Did You Know?

Didi scored the first ever goal at the Maracanã Stadium, on 16 June 1950.
After Botafogo won the 1957 title he walked home from the Maracanã in his kit, joined by 5,000 fans.
His son Bibi also became a professional footballer.