9 August 1931 - Mário Zagallo, A Born Champion

On 9 August 1931, future Brazilian legend Mário Zagallo was born in Maceió. He went on to become the first person to win the World Cup as a player and a manager.



Nicknamed "the Professor," he spent his entire club career in Brazil, first with Rio de Janeiro club America FC (1948-49), then with Flamengo (1950-58) and Botafogo (1958-65). Although small at 1.67 meters (5'5"), he was a skilled midfielder with an instinct for the attack and a willingness to race back on defense. He rose to international fame with Brazil in 1958 when he played every minute of their World Cup campaign and scored in their 5-2 victory over Sweden in the final. He repeated that performance in 1962 as Brazil lifted their second World Cup.



He retired as a player in 1965, but took up management one year later, starting with Botafogo. He briefly managed Brazil in 1967-68, then returned in 1970 in time for the World Cup. Although his style was criticized as too rigid and defensive, his Brazil squad won all six matches, including the final over Italy, to make Zagallo the first man in history to win the tournament as a player and a manager (to date, only Franz Beckenbauer has matched that accomplishment).



After taking Brazil to a fourth-place finish in 1974, Zagallo left the national team and began a coaching journey that took him across Brazil and the Middle East. He returned to the national team in 1994 as an assistant to Carlos Alberto Parreira and again Brazil took the trophy. He replaced Parreira in 1998 and guided Brazil to another World Cup Final, but lost to France.



He retired in 2001, but remains a constant presence around the Brazilian national team.

25 December 1944 - Jairzinho Takes Wing

On 25 December 1944, future World Cup star Jairzinho was born in Rio de Janeiro. He helped lead Brazil to World Cup victory in 1970, becoming only the third person in history to score in every one of his team's matches in the tournament.

He spent the majority of his career with his hometown club, Botafogo, first joining their youth team, then playing in the first team from 1959 to 1974. There, paired with his idol Garrincha, he won the 1964 Rio State Championship. After Garrincha left in 1965, Jairzinho took his place, moving from the left wing to his preferred position on the right, where he excelled, winning numerous trophies with Botafogo.

Jairzinho joined the national team in 1964. After a disappointing first-round exit in the 1966 World Cup, he got off to a roaring start in 1970, scoring twice in Brazil's 4-1 opening win against Czechoslovakia. He proceeded to score in every match as Brazil won the tournament, joining Uruguay's Alcides Ghiggia (1950) and France's Just Fontaine (1958) as the only players to score in every match for their country in a World Cup.

He left Botafogo in 1974 for a short stay with Marseille, starting a journey that included stints at a number of clubs, including a second term at Botafogo from 1981-82. He retired in 1983 after a brief period with 9 de Octubre in Ecuador.

21 June 1970 - Brazil Literally Wins The World Cup

On 21 June 1970, Brazil became the first team to win three World Cup trophies, beating Italy 4-1 in that year's Final. In that match, Pelé became the first (and to date only) player to win three trophies and Brazil manager Mário Zagallo became the first person to win trophies as a player and coach.

Playing before a crowd of 107,412 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Pelé opened the scoring with a powerful 18th-minute header. Italy found a first-half equalizer in the 37th minute thanks to confusion between Brazilian keeper Félix and defender Hércules Brito. As the keeper rushed forward to stop the Italian attack, Brito charged in and knocked the ball away, allowing Italian forward Roberto Boninsegna to slot it into an open net.

Level at 1-1 at the break, the second half belonged to Brazil. Gérson put them up 2-1 with a low driving shot from outside the box in the 66th minute. Five minutes later, a long pass found Pelé in the box and he headed the ball down into the path of the charging Jairzinho, who bundled it into the net. The scoring ended in the 86th minute as a precise Brazilian build-up involving eight different players resulted in a Pelé pass to captain Carlos Alberto, who blasted the ball home from about 10 yards out. It was a brilliant example of Brazil's now famous style of play.

With their third World Cup title, Brazil were allowed to keep the trophy. Unfortunately, it was stolen in 1983 and has never been recovered.

7 June 1970 - Trickeration, Mexican Style

On 7 June 1970, hosts Mexico defeated El Salvador 4-0 in the World Cup group stage, using a little trickery along the way.

Just before halftime, with the match tied at 0-0, referee Ali Kandil awarded a free kick to El Salvador in their own half of the pitch. To everyone's surprise, however, one of the Mexican players stepped up and took the kick, passing it forward to teammate Javier Valdivia, who then knocked it into the goal. El Salvador's players protested, but Kandil allowed the goal to stand.

When the match restarted in the second half, El Salvador registered their disapproval by first refusing the kick off, then kicking the ball directly into the stands. Once the second half was underway, Valdivia quickly scored a second goal and the rout was on. Javier Fragoso extended the Mexicans' lead to 3-0 in the 58th minute, then substitute Juan Basaguren added another in the 83rd minute, becoming the first substitute to score in a World Cup.

El Salvador finished at the bottom of Group 1 and went home. Mexico advanced to the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated by Italy.

31 May 1970 - The Reds See Yellow

On 31 May 1970, Mexico and the Soviet Union kicked off that year's World Cup before a crowd of 107,000 at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca. The match did not go as the hosts had hoped, ending as a scoreless draw.

Controversy erupted even before the players took the pitch, as FIFA scheduled several matches, including the opener, to start at noon. They claimed the early start time was intended to facilitate live television coverage for Europe, but many of the players complained that the noon starts would be too hot and would favor sides from warmer climates.

Despite El Tri's home advantage, the Soviets were heavily favored, having advanced the semi-finals of the previous World Cup, then finishing in fourth place in the 1968 Europeam Championship. Mexico, meanwhile, had never gotten out of the first round in any prior World Cup. On the day, however, neither side managed to threaten the other, making it an anticlimactic start to what would eventually become one of the most celebrated tournaments thanks to a dynamic Brazil side that won the trophy, their third, after beating Italy 4-1 in the Final.

The match did see the World Cup's first-ever tactical substitution, as well as the first-ever yellow card in a World Cup match. Before 1970, substitutions were allowed only in case of injury and, while cautions and expulsions were used before 1970, the tournament was the first to use the card system. The first substitute was the USSR's Anatoliy Puzach, who came on for Viktor Serebryanikov in the 46th minute, while the first yellow card - one of five issued in the match - went to Evgeni Lovchev in the 40th minute.

18 July 1942 - A Player And A Gentleman

On 18 July 1942, future Inter Milan defender and president Giacinto Facchetti was born in Treviglio, Italy.

Facchetti played his youth football as a forward with his hometown club Trevigliese from 1956 to 1960, when he was discovered by Inter manager Helenio Herrera and brought to Milan. Herrera switched him to fullback, where he played an integral role in Herrara's catenaccio system. The system relied heavily on a strong backline in a 5-3-2 formation, with a libero, or sweeper, dropping behind the center backs.

Facchetti was a key member of the Inter team known as "La Grande Inter," which won four Serie A titles between 1962 and 1971, as well as back-to-back European Cup trophies in 1964 and 1965. He spent his entire professional career with the Nerazzurri, making 629 appearances (and scoring 75 goals) before retiring in 1978. In all those appearances, he was sent off only once (for clapping sarcastically in response to a referee's decision).

He also made 94 appearances for the Italian national team, winning the 1968 UEFA European Championship and finishing runner-up to Brazil in the 1970 World Cup.

He was elected President of Inter in January 2004, but served less than three years before dying of pancreatic cancer in September 2006.

He is one of 14 Italian players included on Pelé's March 2004 list of the 150 greatest footballers.

14 July 1969 - The Football War Breaks Out

On 14 July 1969, the army of El Salvador launched an attack on Honduras, beginning the four-day conflict known as the Football War.

Tensions between the neighboring states had been rising for years, particularly over concerns about immigration and land reform. Geographically, Honduras is five times larger than El Salvador, but at the time, El Salvador's population was twice as large as that of Honduras. The combination led to the immigration of over 300,000 Salvadorans into Honduras by 1969. In 1962, in response to economic and political pressure, Honduras began a program of land reform that, by 1967, had resulted in expulsion of thousands of Salvadoran immigrants from Honduras and redistributing their land to Honduran citizens.

Thus, when the two nations met during qualification for the 1970 World Cup, the matches were charged with political emotion. The first leg was played in Tegucigalpa on 8 June 1969, with the Honduran side claiming a 1-0 victory. On 15 June, El Salvador won the second leg 3-0 in the city of San Salvador. Riots broke out before and after the match, resulting in the deaths of at least three Salvadorans. On 26 June, the teams participated in a playoff match played in Mexico City. El Salvador won 3-2 (a.e.t.), advancing to the Final Round of CONCACAF qualification, where they defeated Haiti to earn their first World Cup apperance.

On 26 June, El Salvador severed diplomatic ties with Honduras, citing the latter's failure to punish the alleged crimes or offer any reparations to El Salvador, and, the following day, Honduras severed its ties with El Salvador.

On 14 July, after a series of small border clashes, El Salvador launched a joint air and ground assault on Honduras. The Salvadoran forces advanced 8 km into Honduras before being bogged down with fuel and ammunition shortages. The Organization of American States intervened and brokered a cease-fire on 18 July, though El Salvador did not withdraw its troops until 2 August.

As a result of the conflict, between 60,000 and 130,000 Salvadorans had been expelled or fled from Honduras, while approximately 2,000 people were killed, the majority of whom were Honduran civilians.

7 July 1957 - And Sometimes A Bright Start Leads To A Bright Future

On 7 July 1957, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, made his national team debut for Brazil in a 2-1 loss to Argentina. The 16-year, 9-month old forward scored Brazil's only goal, becoming the youngest person to score in international competition at that time.

He had been a professional footballer for only one year, having signed with Santos FC in 1956 at the age of fifteen. He quickly established himself in the national team and was instrumental in Brazil's title-winning run in the 1958 World Cup. He scored six goals, including a hat-trick in Brazil's semi-final match against France and a brace against Sweden in the Final.

Pelé was a member of Brazil's squad for the 1962 World Cup, but was injured in the second game and missed the rest of the tournament, including the Final in which Brazil successfully defended their title. The 1966 World Cup was similarly frustrating for him, as Brazil's opponents resorted to violent tackles in order to stop him. He had to be carried off the pitch in the third match, a 3-1 defeat to Portugal, as Brazil were eliminated. After the tournament, he was so disheartened by the treatment he received that he said he would not play in any further World Cups.

He eventually reconsidered, however, and was persuaded to rejoin the national team for the 1970 World Cup, which was to be his last. Brazil was again triumphant, defeating Italy 4-1 in a memorable Final. With the win, Pelé became the only player in the history of football to win three World Cups.

He remains the Brazilian national team's top scorer, with 77 goals in 92 appearances.

7 June 1970 - Banks Denies Pelé

On 7 June 1970, England keeper Gordon Banks made one of the most memorable saves in football history, stopping a shot from Pelé in the 1970 World Cup Finals.

Cup holders England met Brazil that day in their second match of the group stage. With the match scoreless in the 10th minute, Brazilian right winger Jairzinho collected the ball near the touchline just inside the English half. He sped past left back Terry Cooper and raced toward the box. Just before running out of bounds, he lobbed a long cross to Pelé who was waiting near the far post. Describing the save later, Banks said "Halfway across, I was sure the ball was too high for anyone to reach, but then I saw Pelé. He seemed to climb higher and higher until he got the ball on his forehead, putting everything behind it."

As Pelé forcefully headed the ball down, Banks sprinted across the goal and stretched out with a diving lunge. The ball bounced just in front of the goal line and Banks got his hand on the rebound, sending the ball up and over. According to Pelé, "He came from nowhere. I headed it perfectly towards one corner of the net while Banks was at the other corner. I was already shouting GOOOL!!! when Banks, like a salmon leaping up a falls, threw himself in the air and managed to tip the ball so it slid over the crossbar. It was an impossible play."

Brazil went on to win the match 1-0 with a goal from Jairzinho in the 59th minute, but it is fondly remembered in England for that save.

19 April 1958 - A Striking Debut

On 19 April 1958, 20-year old Manchester United striker/midfielder Bobby Charlton made his international debut for England in a British Home Championship match against Scotland at Hampden Park, Glasgow. England won 4-0, with two goals from Derek Kevan, one from Bryan Douglas, and one from Charlton - his first in an English record of 49 international goals. His last international goal came in England's 4-0 win over Colombia in a friendly played on 20 May 1970 in Bogotá.

Charlton played for the English national team through the 1970 World Cup, where England was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Franz Beckenbauer's West German side. In all, Charlton made 106 national team appearances, a record at the time, though later surpassed by Bobby Moore (108), David Beckham (109), and Peter Shilton (125). Charlton now stands as the fourth most-capped player for England. His goal-scoring record still stands, however, almost 39 years after that last goal in Colombia.