Brazilian football legend Mario Zagallo dies at 92

Brazilian football legend Mario Zagallo died aged 92 on Friday, with the exact cause of death not immediately shared.

Zagallo won two World Cups as a player, one as a coach and another as an assistant coach for Brazil. 

He became the first person ever to win the World Cup both as a player and manager back in 1970, and has been revered among Brazilian football fans for generations. 

Brazilian soccer confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement early on Saturday that Zagallo "is one of the biggest legends" of the sport.

"We offer solidarity to his family members and fans in this moment of grief for the departure of this great hero of our soccer," Rodrigues said.

Many Brazilian clubs where Zagallo played and coached also expressed their sorrow for his death.

A post on his Instagram page called him "a dedicated father, a loving grandfather, a caring father-in-law, a loyal friend, a victorious professional and a great human being."

"A gigantic hero. A patriot that leaves us a legacy of great achievements," the post added.

Long stint as player and coach

As a young boy, Zagallo wanted to become an airline pilot but could not pursue that due to poor eyesight. He then decided to become a footballer, despite some opposition from his father.

Zagallo was associated with nearly every major chapter in Brazil's football history. He began his career in the 1950s as a striker with Rio's America and later also played for Flamengo and Botafogo clubs. He played as the national team's forward in 1958 when it won the World Cup in Sweden, and also in 1962 in Chile. 

He stopped playing professionally in 1965 and began his career as a manager with Rio de Janeiro club Botafogo in 1966. 

Zagallo was Brazil's national team coach in 1970, becoming the first three-time champion and the first World Cup-winning player to then claim the trophy from the dugout.

The star-studded team in Mexico that year included players like Pele, Jairzinho, Gerson, Roberto Rivellino and Tostao. Zagallo's side won the final comfortably with a 4-1 win over Italy, and is still frequently mentioned in discussions about the best or most dominant World Cup winners ever.

More than two decades later, Zagallo served as assistant coach to Carlos Alberto Parreira when Brazil won in 1994 in the US.

And next time out, in 1998, Zagallo was back in charge as head coach, but  Brazil lost 3-0 to hosts France in the final. This also rounded out a record five trips to the World Cup final for one individual.

His final coaching role with the national team was as Parreira's assistant in 2006 in Germany, where Brazil lost in the quarter finals.

He was known for his unique personality and unapologetic nationalism. 

Zagallo was known to be superstitious, and was fond of the number 13. He said it was his lucky number because it carried the last two digits of birth year, 1931. He got married on the 13th of the month, and once even joked he would retire from the game at 13:00 on July 13, 2013.

He was also known for his repeated use of the phrase "You will have to put up with me," often used at his critics.

tg/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters)