Jairzinho

Jair Ventura Filho, universally known as Jairzinho, was born on 25 December 1944. A Brazilian former footballer, he played primarily as a right winger, noted for his speed, skill, and strength, as well as his powerful shot and clinical finishing. He was a crucial figure and the top scorer for the Brazil side that lifted the 1970 FIFA World Cup. His nickname, "the Hurricane," came from the way his jersey fluttered as he sprinted down the flank.

A versatile attacker, Jairzinho could also operate as a centre-forward, second striker, or attacking midfielder. In his later career, he was recognizable by his large afro, and his game was defined by explosive pace, dribbling ability, a powerful shot, and a muscular physique. He is regarded as one of Brazil’s finest ever players and among the greatest wingers in football history. Due to Brazil’s economic and political climate at the time, along with its sports legislation, Jairzinho spent the bulk of his club career in South America, notably eleven years with Rio de Janeiro’s Botafogo.

He later moved to Europe to play for Marseille near the end of his career, a typical path for South American players until the 1980s. He succeeded his footballing idol, Garrincha, in both the Botafogo and Brazil line-ups, and appeared at three consecutive World Cups: 1966, 1970, and 1974. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Jairzinho’s family relocated from Duque de Caxias to Rio in the late 1950s. Living on Rua General Severiano, he joined the youth system at local club Botafogo.

Jairzinho began his football career in 1958 at age 13 with Botafogo’s youth teams, also working as a ball boy for the senior side. He made his professional debut for the club as a striker at fifteen in 1960. His idol Garrincha, whom he would eventually replace for both club and country, played in Jairzinho’s preferred right-wing position at Botafogo. This meant Jairzinho initially played mostly on the left wing or as a centre-forward, only filling in on the right when Garrincha was injured.

He became a regular for Botafogo in 1965 at age 21 and was considered a rising national star, playing alongside Brazilian and Botafogo greats like Gérson, Mario Zagallo, and Garrincha. In 1968, Botafogo won a domestic double: the Campeonato Carioca and the Taça Guanabara, with Jairzinho scoring nine goals in eleven games. With Garrincha having left in 1966, Jairzinho moved to his natural right-wing position. Botafogo capped the year with a third trophy, winning the 1968 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (Taça Brasil).

He scored seven goals in the 1969 Campeonato Carioca and, just before the 1970 World Cup, finished as Botafogo’s top scorer in the 1970 Campeonato Carioca with nine goals. After his outstanding performances at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, global attention turned to his Botafogo side. Over his final four years at the club, he became one of its most prolific scorers, netting 186 goals in 416 appearances (a ratio of 0.45 goals per game), placing him sixth on Botafogo’s all-time scoring list.

A standout performance came in 1972 when he scored a hat-trick in a famous 6–0 victory over Flamengo. That same year, he received the Bronze Award for South American Footballer of the Year. In October 1974, after Brazil’s sports legislation changed, Jairzinho moved to Ligue 1 side Marseille for 1,250,000 FF (€300,000, £250,000), one of the most expensive transfers of the time, alongside his Botafogo and Brazil teammate Paulo Cézar Caju. The day before his debut against AS Monaco, over 10,000 fans attended an Olympique de Marseille training session to see him.

He scored on his debut in a 4–1 victory over Monaco on 18 October 1974. His arrival generated huge excitement in Marseille, reflecting his status as a member of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning team. Jairzinho scored nine goals in just 18 league games, including a memorable performance in a 4–0 Coupe de France win over Nantes, where he scored twice. However, his time in France was cut short after a scuffle following a 2–2 draw in the first leg of the Coupe de France quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Both Jairzinho and Caju were found guilty of attacking an assistant referee. The Groupement du football professionnel (the former LFP) suspended them for one year (plus one year suspended), leading to Jairzinho’s departure in the summer of 1975. According to Jairzinho, Kaizer Chiefs co-owner Ewert Nene invited him to play a few games after his Marseille exit. Jairzinho agreed to a short-term deal until early 1976.

He later said in a 2018 interview with South African newspaper Soccer Laduma that the stadium atmosphere, warm welcome, and being "treated like a king" were key reasons he signed. Though he rarely played for the Chiefs—only three league games—he scored seven goals during his time in South Africa.