The national team beat Austria and paved the way to the first world title
Radio researcher Ciro Götz, already mentioned in “Memória da Pan”, provides us with one of the rarest audios ever discovered from the 1958 World Cup. The recording features the entire broadcast from Guaíba (RS) of the Brazilian team’s debut in the World Cup held in Sweden.
The game, narrated by Mendes Ribeiro, has comments by Otávio Muniz who, interestingly, was from Panamericana (Jovem Pan). However, he went on air on the Rio Grande do Sul broadcaster during breaks, as, during the matches, he reported for Pan.
BRAZIL 3 × 0 AUSTRIA – Uddevalla – 06.08.1958
Brazil: Gylmar; By Sordi, Bellini, Orlando and Nilton Santos; Dino Sani and Didi; Joel, Mazzola, Dida and Zagallo.
Coach: Vicente Feola.
Austria: Szanwald; Hanappi, Happel and Swoboda; Halla e Koller; Horak, Senekowitsch, Buzek, Körner and Schleger.
Coach: Karl Argauer.
Referee: Maurice Guigue (France).
Goals: Mazzola (38) in the first half; Nilton Santos (5) and Mazzola (44) in the final stage.
Attendance: 22,000.
Brazil’s debut in the 1958 World Cup was in the narrow Rimnersvallen stadium in Uddevalla. Pelé and Garrincha were not yet starters, but the debut score was secured by Mazzola, twice, and Nilton Santos. The goal scored by the left-back is one of the most picturesque moments of that game, portrayed by journalist Teixeira Heizer: “Five minutes into the second half, Nilton Santos receives it from Bellini in his defense zone and runs towards the opponent’s field: ‘Come back, Nilton’ – shouts Feola. The full-back continues running and overtaking his opponents. It’s almost in the Austrian intermediate. ‘Come back, Nilton’, insists Feola. Nilton Santos pretends not to hear. Now he is at the entrance to the Austrian area. ‘Come back, Nilton’ – the fat coach shouts, almost apoplectic. From the edge of the area, Nilton shoots masterfully and beats goalkeeper Szanwald. The public is delighted with the goal. “Good, Nilton” – the disconcerted Brazil coach resigns”.
The play for the second Brazilian goal, with Nilton Santos invading the small area and beating the opposing goalkeeper, demonstrates the various potential of the 1958 team. While at the time the full-backs acted as mere markers, tied to a tactical scheme, Nilton Santos, nicknamed the “encyclopedia of football”, was far from being a simple marker. Zagallo, left winger, covered Nilton Santos’ attacks.
Listen to the broadcast on Rádio Gaúcha: a gem rescued by Ciro Götz.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
