This Monday (21) is a day of regret. One of the best known figures in the world, for its religious importance, left us.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, in Argentina, the highest exponent of the Catholic Church, pontiff of the most charismatic and humanitarian, died at the age of 88, in the Vatican, after lung complications.
Francisco was very fond of football. He was a fervent fan of San Lorenzo, a traditional team of Buenos Aires. Less famous than Boca Juniors and River Plate, but owner of a Libertadores (in 2014) and 15 national championship titles.
Relating the Pope to football, I started to think that great players called Francisco Brazilian football had. I didn’t remember any.
However, Francisco, here, often turns Chico, or Chiquinho, or Chicão. And in these cases it is possible to mention some.
The most famous Chico was a left end, Francisco Aramburu (1922-1997). One of the idols in the history of Vasco da Gama, he acted as the Brazilian team starter at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
The Maracanazo World Cup, with a painful defeat of Brazil, in the decision, turned (2-1) to Uruguay. Chico scored four goals in this World Cup, being the vice-scorer of Brazil, behind Ademir de Menezes, who scored eight and was the greatest scorer of the competition.
Another known Chico is ant, coach and player.
Chico Formiga (Francisco Ferreira de Aguiar, 1930-2012) defended Santos and Palmeiras (was defender and midfielder) and trained, among others, Santos (forging in the late 1970s the first generation of the village boys, with Juary, Pita, Nílton Potato), Sao Paulo and Corinthians.
The ant nickname would have come from his childhood, due to restless behavior. She was a fast and active boy, remembering the movements of an ant.
Another I remember is Chico Spina (Manoel Francisco de Andrade Espina, 69), striker with tickets for Internacional, Atletico-MG and Paysandu. For Colorado Gaucho, he won the 1979 Brazilian Championship. Retired, he became players agent.
Chicão, I can name two more renowned.
The former Corinthians defender (Anderson Sebastião Cardoso, 43), champion of the 2011 Brazilian and Libertadores and the Club World Cup in 2012. He was the sheriff of the defender. In addition to being a leader, it hit with some competence and penalty kicks.
Interestingly, he has no Francis in the name of baptism. According to himself, as a child, his grandfather began to call him Chicão, without a logical or specific reason. He took it and stayed, coming to football.
By the way, the Pope, like former Kicão, was not born Francis. He chose this name, when he took over the post in 2013, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi (killed about 800 years ago), a symbol of humility and dedication to the poor.
There was also Chicão midfielder, Francisco Jesuíno Avanzi (1949-2008). He wore the shirts, among others, from São Paulo (winning the 1977 Brazilian), Atletico-MG and Santos, and played for the Brazilian team in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
He was a strong, combative athlete who wore a mustache. Reports show that he had to scrape him after losing to left back Santos Gilberto Sorriso a bet before a Sao Paulo x Santos in the late 1970s-Gilberto Gilberto lost the game, would lose his Black Power-style hair. I heard this story on the radio, even as a boy, so I think it’s true.
Chiquinho there have been several, but none, in my view, worthy of being in a gallery of fame. I know who called Pope Francis of “Papa Chiquinho”, something friendly and affectionate. It could be “Papa Chicao”, due to its great performance in the church.
May the next Pope have the one who ended his mission on land as an example – whether Francisco or not, enjoying football or not.
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