Defender was chosen as the player with the best physical fitness at the 1970 World Cup; revealed by Vasco, Brito also played for Flamengo and Botafogo
Former defender Hércules Brito Ruas, known as Brito, died this Thursday (June 11, 2026), aged 86. He was a member of the Brazilian team when they won the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
The information was released on the former player’s official Instagram profile. According to the newspaper The GlobeBrito had been hospitalized for a week with pneumonia.
Brito with Pelé at the Brazilian team’s concentration days before the 1970 World Cup final
For the Brazilian team, Brito was one of the defensive pillars of the team led by Zagallo in 1970. He formed a defense pair with Piazza and played in all the games of the third world championship campaign. He had also been called up for the 1966 World Cup in England.
Brito was considered the player with the best physical fitness in the 1970 World Cup. On his official Instagram profile, the former defender introduced himself as “1970 three-time world champion” e “the best physical preparation of the 70 World Cup”.
In total, he played for the Brazilian team between 1964 and 1972. There were 61 matches, 15 of which were unofficial, with no goals scored.
trajectory in clubs
At club level, Brito began his career at Vasco da Gama, the team for which he was revealed and of which he was a fan. After a spell on loan at Internacional, he took over at the Rio club in 1960, with the mission of replacing Bellini, two-time world champion with the Seleção. With Vasco, he won the 1966 Rio-São Paulo Tournament.
In 1969, he transferred to Flamengo. The following year, after the World Cup, he fell out with coach Yustrich and was loaned to Cruzeiro. For the Minas Gerais club, he stood out in the 1970 Robertão campaign, the national championship at the time, and was chosen for the magazine’s Bola de Prata selection. Score.
Then, he passed through Botafogo. In 1971, in a classic against Vasco, he was suspended for a year after attacking referee José Aldo Pereira, after a penalty was awarded against Botafogo.
Brito also defended Corinthians, Atlético Paranaense, Montreal Castors, from Canada, Deportivo Galicia, from Venezuela, and River-PI.
