Garrincha

The Joy of the People who danced his way to two World Cup titles for Brazil.

via Wikipedia: Garrincha · see source

Manuel Francisco dos Santos, born on 28 October 1933 and passing on 20 January 1983, carried the nicknames Mané Garrincha and Garrincha—Portuguese for "wren." A right winger by trade, he is remembered as one of football’s all-time greats, with many considering him the finest dribbler the sport has seen. His contributions were decisive in Brazil’s World Cup triumphs of 1958 and 1962. During the latter tournament, with Pelé sidelined by injury, Garrincha took charge, delivering a string of dominant performances that carried the team to victory.

He made history as the first player to claim the Golden Ball, the Golden Boot, and the World Cup in a single edition. His excellence earned him spots on the All-Star Teams for both the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, and in 1994 he was selected for the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team. Remarkably, Brazil never lost a match when both Garrincha and Pelé were on the field together.

Quick Facts

Full name: Manuel Francisco dos Santos
Height: 1.69 m / 5 ft 7 in
Born: 28 October 1933
Birthplace: Magé, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died: 20 January 1983
Place of death: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Position: Right winger
Total caps: 266+

Facts from the source article.

Background

Garrincha was born in Pau Grande, a district of Magé, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in 1933. He was born with his right leg 6 centimetres shorter than his left, also his left leg turned outwards and his right turned inwards, leading one doctor to certify him as crippled as a child. His father was an alcoholic, drinking cachaça heavily, a problem which Garrincha would inherit. A boy with a carefree attitude, he was smaller than other kids his age, earning him the nickname Garrincha (meaning 'wren') from his sister.

The name stuck and by the age of four years he was known as Garrincha to his family and friends. Garrincha was also known as Mané (short for Manuel) by his friends. The combined Mané Garrincha is common among fans in Brazil. Garrincha was known amongst footballing scouts, but did not arrive in professional football until his late teens; he had no interest in a professional career despite his immense talent. Garrincha's younger brother, Jimmy dos Santos, played 20 games for Série A side Vasco da Gama in 1959.