The authorities in Brazil have declared three days of national mourning in honour of four-time World Cup-winning football legend Mario Zagallo who died on Friday at the age of 92.
Zagallo, who played alongside Pele in Brazil’s 1958 and 1962 World Cup-winning teams and later won the trophy as a coach, died of multiple organ failure.
President Inacio Lula led a flood of tributes to the man known as the “Old Wolf,” who coached Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning side starring Pele – considered by many the greatest team in history — and served as assistant coach when the team repeated the feat in 1994.
“He was one of the greatest football players and coaches of all time,” Lula said in a statement
The only other men to win the World Cup as both player and coach are Franz Beckenbauer of Germany (1974 and 1990) and Didier Deschamps of France (1998 and 2018).
Current and former players also paid their respects, including Brazilian World Cup winners Ronaldinho, Bebeto, Taffarel and Cafu.
“Thank you for everything, Professor!!! Rest in peace,” Ronaldinho posted on Instagram, alongside a photo of him and Zagallo.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said a minute’s silence for Zagallo would be held at upcoming matches.
Teams where Zagallo spent parts of his career also paid tribute, including Rio de Janeiro clubs Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco.
Even teams with no ties to Zagallo weighed in, such as Santos, the longtime home of his late Brazil teammate Pele, who died in December 2022 at age 82.
“Our ‘King’ Pele awaits you,” the club posted on X, formerly Twitter.
A public wake for Zagallo will be held on Sunday followed by a burial at the Sao Joao Batista cemetery, the final resting place of some of Brazil’s most famous citizens.
His death comes at a difficult moment in Brazilian football, which is still mourning the loss of Pele just over a year ago.
Brazil sacked national team coach Fernando Diniz Friday after the “Selecao,” playing without injured star Neymar, suffered a string of losses in World Cup qualifying, including a humiliating 1-0 home loss to arch-rivals Argentina in November.
