Mario Zagallo – Brazil
As a player
World Cups: Sweden 1958, Chile 1962
Appearances: 12
Goals: 2
Best finish: Winner (1958, 1962)
As a coach
World Cups: Mexico 1970, West Germany 1974, France 1998
Best finish: Winner (1970)
Brazil great Zagallo was the first man to win the World Cup as a player and as a coach, and is the only person to have done so after winning it multiple times in their playing days. He passed away on 5 January at the age of 92.
Zagallo played a crucial role in Brazil’s first World Cup triumph in 1958, working as an extra midfielder in a new-look 4-3-3 set-up, and going on to score the Seleção’s fourth goal in the 5-2 final triumph over Sweden. Four years later he once again played every game at the finals, as the South Americans became the first postwar nation to win back-to-back titles.
His role shifted dramatically at the next tournament. Thrown in as Brazil coach just 75 days before the start of Mexico 1970, Zagallo led a team famously spearheaded by five number 10s to glory in the first World Cup broadcast in colour.
He took home a record fourth gold medal in 1994 as Carlos Alberto Parreira’s assistant, before leading the nation to another final four years later as head coach, where they lost to France in the decider.
Franz Beckenbauer – West Germany
As a player
World Cups: England 1966, Mexico 1970, West Germany 1974
Appearances: 18
Goals: 5
Best finish: Winner (1974)
As a coach
World Cups: Mexico 1986, Italy 1990
Best finish: Winner (1990)
As with Zagallo, Beckenbauer can also lay claim to the unique accomplishment of winning the World Cup both on the pitch and from the dugout. The German legend left us on 7 January, aged 78.
‘Der Kaiser’ revolutionised the game as a libero, starring for Bayern Munich and the national side during the peak of his powers. After leading West Germany to UEFA EURO glory in 1972, Beckenbauer helped the nation become the first reigning continental champions to lift the World Cup two years later.
Beckenbauer then took his genius from the pitch to the coach’s chair, as he was appointed West Germany boss in 1984. While his charges fell to a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina in the Mexico 1986 final, they wouldn’t be denied four years later, duly sinking their South American counterparts 1-0 in Rome.
Gigi Riva – Italy
World Cups played in: Mexico 1970, West Germany 1974
Appearances: 8
Goals: 3
Best finish: Runner-up (1970)
Riva, who has stood as Italy’s record goalscorer for more than 50 years, passed away on 22 January, at the age of 79.
After narrowly missing out on selection to World Cup 1966, the man nicknamed ‘Rombo di Tuono’ (Roar of Thunder) helped storm the Azzurri to the final at Mexico 1970, netting three goals on the way. While the Europeans would be denied a third world title by a Brazil side chasing their own hat-trick of triumphs, Riva’s enduring legacy remains.
Andreas Brehme – West Germany
World Cups played in: Mexico 1986, Italy 1990, USA 1994
Appearances: 16
Goals: 4
Best finish: Winner (1990)
On 22 February, Germany said goodbye to a true legend of its national team, as Brehme passed away aged 63.
He made 86 appearances in total for his country, playing in a raft of positions and scoring two truly iconic goals. The first of which came in the 1986 semi-finals, when he rifled home the opener against France in a 2-0 win, though they would succumb to Argentina in the decider.
They met again four years later, as Brehme and Co exacted revenge. With the game scoreless heading into the final minutes, Rudi Voller won a penalty. German superstition believes the player fouled shouldn’t take the kick, meaning Voller handed duties to captain Lothar Mattheus, but a half-time change of boots saw him give responsibility to Brehme. The wing-back, who scored a penalty with his left-foot at Mexico ‘۸۶, stepped up and placed his right-footed effort into the bottom corner to secure West Germany their third world crown.
Bernd Holzenbein – West Germany
World Cups played in: West Germany 1974, Argentina 1978
Appearances: 9
Goals: 1
Best finish: Winner (1974)
Winger Holzenbein, who was a vital cog of the West Germany side which reclaimed the World Cup on home soil, died on 15 April, aged 78.
The Frankfurt icon assisted Jurgen Grabowski’s goal in the 4-2 win over Sweden in the second group phase, and he won the penalty which Paul Breitner scored in the showpiece win against the Netherlands. His sole World Cup strike came in defeat to Austria in the second group phase of Argentina 1978.
Cesar Luis Menotti – Argentina
As a coach
World Cups: Argentina 1978, Spain 1982
Best finish: Winner (1978)
Former Argentina boss Menotti passed away on 24 May, at the age of 85. While he didn’t play at the World Cup during an 11-cap career with Argentina, he had a seismic impact on the tournament.
Appointed as Argentina boss following the 1974 edition, Menotti was tasked with leading his nation at their home finals four years later. He raised eyebrows after deciding against picking a 17-year-old Diego Maradona in his squad, but was vindicated as La Albiceleste won a first-ever World Cup title thanks to a 3-1 win over the Netherlands.
A year later, with Maradona in his ranks, Menotti led the Young Albiceleste to FIFA U-20 World Cup™ glory in Japan, with El Diego procuring the adidas Golden Ball.
Salvatore Schillaci – Italy
World Cups played in: Italy 1990
Appearances: 7
Goals: 6
Best finish: Third place
Italy forward Schillaci passed away on 18 September aged just 59 after a two-year battle with illness. News of his death touched the globe, and took a nation back to the summer where everything ‘Toto’ touched turned to goals.
The forward had just one cap before coach Azeglio Vicini selected him for a home finals in 1990. With the Azzurri labouring to a goalless draw with Austria on opening day, Schillaci entered the fray with 15 minutes to go and duly headed the winner. He scored in five of Italy’s next six games to help them to bronze, while taking home the unlikeliest of adidas Golden Boot-Golden Ball doubles.
Karl-Heinz Schnellinger – West Germany
World Cups played in: Sweden 1958, Chile 1962, England 1966, Mexico 1970
Appearances: 17
Goals: 1
Best finish: Runner-up (1970)
While Schnellinger’s international career started just after West Germany’s success in 1954 and ended just before their triumph 20 years later, the versatile defender helped himself to runners-up and bronze medals across 17 World Cup appearances. He passed away on 20 May, at the age of 85.
Johan Neeskens – Netherlands
World Cups played in: West Germany 1974, Argentina 1978
Appearances: 12
Goals: 5
Best finish: Runner-up (1974 and 1978)
Dutch great Neeskens left an indelible mark on sport’s greatest competition after helping the Netherlands to back-to-back finals in the 1970s. He passed away on 7 October, aged 73.
He played all but 16 minutes of West Germany 1974, netting four goals en route to the final, where he earned a slice of tournament history. Johan Cruyff was brought down for a penalty after just 56 seconds, allowing Neeskens to step up as the side’s newly-ordained spot-kick taker. Despite “scuffing it a little”, the ball flew beyond Sepp Maier, and remains the quickest final goal ever scored at just 88 seconds.
Neeskens once again helped the Netherlands to the final four years later, but they would become the first side to lose back-to-back deciders when they were once again defeated by the hosts, as Argentina took home a first World Cup trophy.
- نویسنده : محمد مهدی اسماعیلی رها
Wednesday, 16 July , 2025