Zico

In Rio de Janeiro , the reporter went to Celso Garcia neighborhood of Quintino and was stunned with a guy who knew all the ball. " Tell me your name and age " he asked , and the boy replied, " Arthur Antunes Coimbra, or Zico , study and live here, where I was born on March 3, 1953 I'm 13 and I'm the baby of the family . " . Then his parents got Celso -José , Portuguese baker and Flamengo , and Matilda , the Tidinha - take the permission of the child to try Flamengo matriarch. Then know more , Zico had two brothers playing in America - Antunes and Edu . And would rather Flamengo to Dida for idolatry , as he was a fine stocking " rubro-negro " (scarlet-black)  until 1964 , and as the club Gávea , the team of his heart. Since then the red and black would be the only color Zico. Before even gain weight , size and strength until 1.71 m , had already won the juvenile state title in 1969. In July 1971 , already known as Galinho of Quintino , expression that gave the announcer Waldir Amaral for his claw and the name of your neighborhood, Zico becomes professional to become the greatest idol and scorer in the history of the red and black . This year would be in the pre-Olympic Brazil team but would not be in the Olympics 72 . However carioca would champion that year . Title of Rio de Janeiro that would repeat in 1974-78-79-81 and 1986. Flamengo also win championships Brazil 1980 , 82, 83 and 87. Copa Libertadores da And America and the 1981 Intercontinental Cup , played in Japan against Liverpool. For all of his work, the Galinho Quintino Gold Ball honored the magazine Placar nothing more than five editions (1974 , 75, 77, 82 and 87) . And almost all of those odd years , Zico was top scorer , as was the Maracanã stadium , with 320 points, in 22 years of hard ball. His other passion , perhaps greater than Flamengo , is Sandra , neighbor and first love , she at age

14 ; and he at 17, she married red and black . Sandra is the sister of the wife of his brother Edu and mother of Junior, Bruno and Tiago , children of " Galinho " . She , in fact, is also her best friend, companion difficult times and especially confident .One other great idol in the series is the selection of Brazil, which premiered on February 25, 1976 , against Uruguay . From that day , Zico was an irreplaceable of calls . With Brazil the same year he won 76 Cups bicentennial of the U.S. independence, Rio Branco , Rock, Oswaldo Cruz and Atlantic. And the England - Brazil 1981. Trophy until 1986 , when he decided to leave the team after the World Cup in Mexico , Zico had played 88 matches for his country , scoring 66 goals , goes to some being the largest producer of selection . In the three

World , participate in 14 games , making five goals.But failing one, for those World were not doing well . Injured in from Argentina , in 1978 , Zico only played a full game ; in others only a middle. The Brazil team at the World Cup was the face of the dictatorship in the country atmosphere . Starting Cláudio Coutinho , coach and former army captain , who just listened to Admiral Hellenic Nunes , then president of the Brazilian Confederation of Desportes ( predecessor of the current Brazilian Football Confederation , CBF) . And looking for versatility , our technician was lost in the command. No call or Falcão Júnior, Reinaldo expelled shortly military lover . That fiasco of the competition would only related things such idiotic Cláudio Coutinho own sentence : "We are moral champions of the World " . And such

overlapping expressions or future point , it also , they were not going to crack and creative style of Brazilian artist. For Zico , the World of 82 in Spain , with a Brazil that put in the most harmonious field team could gather in its history , was a stroke of luck. And 1986 , when injured, missed the penalty against France in the quarterfinals, was a trauma that weighed on his retirement from the selection. Intone offended by criticism , the Galo de Quintino , Gávea and the planet opened the game: " No change to win a title with Flamengo in a World Cup." And solidarity with him , the writer and illustrator Ziraldo Pinto would support this: "Holy mothermany joys Zico gave me and the fans in Brazil and Flamengo How many fouls thrown to the left of the crescent were ! goals safer than penalties ? Zico missed the penalty of his life , our life , and was immediately forgiven for his greatness. "A half of 1983 , the Galinho was sold to the Italian Udinese and composer Bay , Moraes Moreira, wrote a frevo which expressed the sadness of the red and black and carioca fondness for his departure from Gávea : " And now as I stay / evening Sunday / without Zico at Maracanã ... "In Italy , the artist of Brazilian football Flamengo confirmed its success . Despite playing in a modest team like Udinese , was the gunner competitive Italian national championship, as well as being considered the best player of the season . Rejecting proposals irrechazables big as AC Milan and Roma , he returned to Brazil , and of course, his passion to Flamengo in the summer of 1985.In Gávea , Zico stay until 1990 , when he made his farewell match on 6 February between Flamengo mates and friends, with tie at 2 . Was then posted the enviable figure of 847 encounters with the red and black shirt that had glorified . And his number of goals broke the record for the history of the club . 601 then would call after administration of President Fernando Collor de Mello, and naive in politics, agreed to be Secretary Sports federal government. Actually , Zico had made very real political commitment and serious when he founded and directed in 1981 the first union of professional footballers . In the Collor government, he authored the law with his name, which was surpassed by Pelé law, an ordinance discipline (is it possible?) Football. However, not holding more politicking , Zico left the government in 1991 , thinking better everyday , the Galinho Quintino took joining Kashima Japanese Antlers , where he was again top scorer , master of football schools and idol , well of following their withdrawal in 94 - football consultant distance .In Rio de Janeiro , Arthur Antunes Coimbra citizen , taught more chair (and money) than anyone to create the CFZ ( Zico Futebol Center ), for Brazil and Japanese children with conditions cracks . In the plan , plus a numerous investments , the business rents his own image, but always careful not to commit morally. And it is quite supportive of ex - football players ruined , which are the majority .In the 1998 World Cup in France, the Galo de Quintino , always wanting to do something for the Brazilian team, second to Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo technician . In 2000, the committee chair a time of CBF in charge of bringing Brazil 2006 World Cup organizing and in 2003 accepted the challenge of leading the Japanese team to do well in the 2006 World Cup , which he did , calling , but then I had the bad luck of the draw of seeing Japan fall into the same group as his country , Brazil . Lately accept Zico again moved to Rio to train the Turkish Fenerbahce . But every time may be Rio de Janeiro , Zico appreciated live with the family in a house of 1,200 square meters, surrounded by a garden of three times , with room - plus Sandra , children and family - all their trophies and immeasurable kindness .