Tuesday, 27 August 2013

Gylmar dos Santos: Most successful Goalkeeper said Good-Bye to the World

Goalkeepers enjoys longest career than strikers, midfielders and defenders in football. Many successful goalkeepers extended their international career into their 40s and performed very well in the World Cups. But very few goalkeepers enjoyed glory of success by winning World Cup twice and consecutively. Gylmar dos Santos Neves (1930 -2013) moved into the pages of history with a unique record, a goalkeeper who participated in three straight World Cups and won successive two in 1958 and 1962. He guarded the Brazilian post in the 1966 edition of World Cup but Brazil was defeated by Portugal in the pre-quarter round.

Gylmar born at the same time FIFA started World Cup and played throughout his career in the Black and White era. He was known as Pele’s goalkeeper because of his association with Pele’s famous all winning Santos team of 1960s. He made 94 appearances for Brazil and played for Corinthians and Santos during 1950s and 1960s. Gylmar suffered a stroke in 2000 and died after a heart attack on 24 August 2013. He was 83. Gylmer’s death comes just a month after Djalma dos Santos (23 July 20013), the full back of 1958 and 1962 all winning Brazilian team.


PS. Italian goalkeeper Guido Masetti also figured in the consecutive World Cup winning team of 1934 and 1938. Difference was Gylmar played whole games and Masetti was not in the playing eleven on both occasions.

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