Hideraldo Luiz Bellini (L) and other players from the 1958 Brazilian soccer team pose with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (top) during a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Brazil's first World Cup victory in Brasilia in this June 26, 2008 file photo. The players are (L-R) Bellini, Pele, Zito, Orlando, Mazola and Pepe. Bellini, the first Brazilian to lift the World Cup as captain of the triumphant 1958 side, has died in Sao Paulo aged 83, local media reported on March 20, 2014.
Image by: � Jamil Bittar / Reuters / REUTERS
Image by: � Jamil Bittar / Reuters / REUTERS
Brazilian footballer Zito, a two-time World Cup winner in 1958 and 1962, has died at the age of 82, his former club Santos announced Monday.
Zito died at his home in the Sao Paulo surburb of Santos on Sunday, the club said, without giving the cause of his death.
The former midfielder was part of Brazil's World Cup-winning squads in Sweden in 1958 and Chile in 1962, playing alongside icon Pele on both occasions, and even scoring a goal in the 3-1 final victory over Czechoslovakia in the latter tournament.
Zito spent 15 years of his playing career with Santos, winning the Copa Libertadores in 1962 and 1963. He later went on to join the backroom staff and was behind the recruitment of such stars as Robinho in 1996 and Neymar in 2003.
"I have no words to describe this guy, I just appreciate everything you did for me... thank you Zito," Neymar tweeted.
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