Pitch Out

Nilton Santos, whose attempts to make the 1954 World Cup interesting by inciting a brawl were met with an ejection and a return to watching grass grow, has died of complications from a lung infection at the age of 88. The attack-minded defender was selected for the 1950 World Cup squad, but never played, which helped him survive the purge while the national team was rebuilt for the next go-round. In 1954’s “Battle of Berne,” a match with Bulgaria turned into an ugly, foul-filled (read: finally worth watching) match, which exploded with Santos’ two-footed assault on Hungarian playmaker Joszef Bozsik, who responded by punching Santos. Both were ejected, but the police had to be summoned when Santos refused to leave. Another player was later ejected, and Hungary won the riot 4-2. Santos returned to captain Brazil’s first World Cup in 1958, and at the age of 37 defended it in 1962. His voluminous understanding of the game – he was known as the Encyclopedia of Football – leadership and still formidable skill proved invaluable as star Pele had been injured in the second game of the tournament. In 1998, FIFA named him to its XI of the Century squad. By the end of his career, he had appeared in 34 state, national and international finals and won them all.