Zizinho

Zizinho (14 September 1921 – 8 February 2002) was a former Brazilian football player. He has played for Brazil national team. He caused a furore in the 1940s and reached the final of the FIFA World Cup with Brazil in 1950. In the final, however, Uruguay proved too strong with 2-1. Zizinho's performance at the tournament did ensure that he was voted the best player of the World Cup afterwards. Yet he never received the recognition that, for example, Pelé or Zico did. He is widely regarded by many as one of the best football players of all time. He was lauded as a complete player, with an array of offensive skills such as his dribbling, passing, and shooting ability with both feet, as well as his accuracy from dead ball situations and extraordinary vision.

Pele called him the best player he had ever seen: "Zizinho was a complete player. He was strong in the build-up and, most importantly, he had no fear of the brutal defenders". In 1999, Zizinho finished in fourth place in the IFFHS - organized election of the Brazilian Footballer of the 20th Century.