Djalma Pereira Dias dos Santos known simply as Djalma Santos (; also spelled Dejalma Santos), (27 February 192923 July 2013) was a Brazilian
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who started for the
Brazil national team in four World Cups, winning two, in
1958 and
1962. Santos is considered to be one of the greatest
right-back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
s of all time. While primarily known for his defensive skills, he often ventured upfield and displayed some impressive technical and attacking skills.
Along with
Franz Beckenbauer and
Philipp Lahm
Philipp Lahm (; born 11 November 1983) is a German former professional footballer who played as a full-back. Considered by many to be one of the greatest full-backs of all time, Lahm was the captain of Bayern Munich, having led them to numerous ...
, he is one of only three players to be included into three FIFA World Cup All Star teams (in 1954, 1958 and 1962). He was unrelated to his frequent defensive partner
Nilton Santos. He was named by
Pelé as one of the
top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. He is also one of the few footballers to have made
over 1,000 professional appearances in his career.
Djalma Santos made history in the three big clubs he played for. Djalma was an idol at
Palmeiras
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras (), commonly known as Palmeiras, is a Brazilian professional football club based in the city of São Paulo, in the district of Perdizes. Palmeiras is one of the most popular clubs in South America, with around ...
, where he played 498 games for nine years and won several titles, at
Portuguesa, where he emerged in professional football and played 510 games, and at
Atlético Paranaense
Club Athletico Paranaense (commonly known as Athletico and formerly known as Atlético Paranaense) is a Brazilian football team from the city of Curitiba, capital city of the Brazilian state of Paraná, founded on March 26, 1924. The team ...
, where he ended his career. Known as an exemplary player, he was never sent-off from the field.
Club career
Djalma Santos started his career in his hometown with
Portuguesa. He initially played in the centre of defence, but was later moved to the right side of defense. He was part of one of the best
Portuguesa teams of all time, where alongside players like Pinga, Julinho Botelho and Brandãozinho he won the Rio-São Paulo Tournament in 1952 and 1955 and the Blue Ribbon in 1951 and 1953. He is the second largest record holder of games played by the club, 434 in total, between the years 1949 and 1958, second only to Capitão, with 496 games.
At
Palmeiras
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras (), commonly known as Palmeiras, is a Brazilian professional football club based in the city of São Paulo, in the district of Perdizes. Palmeiras is one of the most popular clubs in South America, with around ...
, with 498 games, he is the seventh player who wore most the "alviverde" jersey. He was featured in the
first academy alongside stars such as
Ademir da Guia
Ademir da Guia (born 3 April 1942) is a retired professional footballer who played during the 1960s and 1970s for Palmeiras, a leading association football team in Brazil, where he is still regarded as one of the club's all-time best players. U ...
,
Julinho Botelho
Júlio Botelho, also known as ''Julinho'' (; 29 July 1929 – 10 January 2003) was a Brazilian football player. He was primarily a right winger. Known for his dribbling ability and powerful shot, Julinho is regarded as one of the greatest wi ...
,
Djalma Dias
Djalma Pereira Dias Júnior (21 August 1939 – 1 May 1990) was a Brazilian footballer who played as a defender.
Football career
During his career, Djalma Dias played for América Football Club - where he won the Rio state championship of 1 ...
and
Vavá
Edvaldo Izidio Neto (12 November 1934 – 19 January 2002), commonly known as Vavá, was a Brazilian footballer who is widely considered one of the best strikers of his generation. His nickname was "Peito de Aço" (Steel Chest). He played as a ...
. It was at Palmeiras that he won the greatest number of titles of his career: the
Paulista Championship
The Campeonato Paulista Série A1, commonly known as Campeonato Paulista, nicknamed Paulistão, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Run by the FPF, the league is contested between 16 clubs and ty ...
in
1959,
1963 and
1966; the
Brazilian Championships of
1960,
1967 (
Robertão) and
Brazil Cup
The Copa do Brasil ( en, Brazil Cup) is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de P ...
of
1967. In addition, he won the
Rio-São Paulo Tournament in 1965.
For
Atlético Paranaense
Club Athletico Paranaense (commonly known as Athletico and formerly known as Atlético Paranaense) is a Brazilian football team from the city of Curitiba, capital city of the Brazilian state of Paraná, founded on March 26, 1924. The team ...
he played until the age of 42, another unusual brand for soccer players.
Despite having only defended three clubs in his career, Djalma Santos once wore the jersey of São Paulo, even though he belonged to Palmeiras at the time. On November 9, 1960, he played as an honor guest in the celebrations of the inauguration of the Morumbi Stadium, in the victory over Nacional do Uruguay, by 3–0, with goals from Canhoteiro and Gino.
International career
![Djalma Santos, Pelé and Gilmar 1958](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Djalma_Santos%2C_Pel%C3%A9_and_Gilmar_1958.jpg)
Santos made 98 official appearances for
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
between 1952 and 1968, and was in the squad for four consecutive
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
s between 1954 and 1966. He made his first appearance against
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
in the
Panamerican Championship
The Panamerican Championship was an international football tournament held by the Panamerican Football Confederation every four years with three editions held from 1952 through 1960. . The match was drawn 0–0. He also made two unofficial appearances for Brazil.
1954 World Cup
Santos made his World Cup debut in a 5–0 win against
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, and played in all of Brazil's matches during the tournament. He scored his first goal for Brazil from the penalty spot in a 4–2 defeat against
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
(also known as the "
Battle of Berne
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
").
1958 World Cup
Santos had lost his place in the side after being dropped in favour of
De Sordi, and did not play until the final against
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
. Brazil won the match 5–2, with Santos being one of the outstanding performers. As a result, despite only playing one match in the tournament, he was included in the tournament's
All-Star Team.
1962 World Cup
Santos was once again a regular in the starting lineup, playing in all of Brazil's games. In the final against
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
he set up the final goal for Brazil. Noting that the Slovak goalkeeper
Viliam Schrojf was somewhat off his line, Santos lofted a long, massive, high arcing ball, into the goalmouth aided by the glare of the afternoon sun. Schrojf mishandled the cross, and Brazilian striker
Vavá
Edvaldo Izidio Neto (12 November 1934 – 19 January 2002), commonly known as Vavá, was a Brazilian footballer who is widely considered one of the best strikers of his generation. His nickname was "Peito de Aço" (Steel Chest). He played as a ...
hammered the ball into goal.
1966 World Cup
Santos, now at the age of 37, was selected for a fourth consecutive World Cup. The inclusion of Santos in the squad was a surprise to some, with
Carlos Alberto expected to be selected instead. Santos played the first two games, but was dropped after the 3–1 defeat to
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
. Brazil were knocked out of the tournament in the next game against
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
.
Style of play
After beginning his career in
midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports field that lies approximately in the center. In American football, association football (soccer) and field hockey, it is the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region. In ...
, Santos found much success as a
defender due to his composure, as well as his excellent and consistent displays in this position, and is regarded as one of the greatest
right-back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
s of all time; he was also capable of playing as a
centre back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either ...
.
Santos was a quick and physically strong defender, who was known for his stamina, marking, and tackling ability; he was also effective in the air.
In addition to his defensive ability as a right-back, which earned him the nickname ''Muralha'' (the wall) from the Uruguayan writer
Eduardo Galeano
Eduardo Hughes Galeano (; 3 September 1940 – 13 April 2015) was a Uruguayan journalist, writer and novelist considered, among other things, "global soccer's pre-eminent man of letters" and "a literary giant of the Latin American left".
Galean ...
, Santos was also known for his excellent technique and offensive capabilities, which saw him contribute to the development of the role; being gifted with excellent ball control, good
dribbling
In sports, dribbling is maneuvering a ball by one player while moving in a given direction, avoiding defenders' attempts to intercept the ball. A successful dribble will bring the ball past defenders legally and create opportunities to score.
A ...
skills, creativity, and accurate distribution, he often took on opponents with the ball when under pressure in one on one situations, even in risky situations inside his own penalty area, and he was also one of the first full-backs to venture forward and make overlapping attacking runs down the flank in order to contribute to his teams' offensive plays.
Santos was also an accurate
penalty kick
A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...
and
set-piece taker, and was known for his ability to take long
throw-ins.
In addition to his ability as a footballer, Santos was also known to be an extremely fair and correct player, as well as an exemplary professional, who stood out for his work-rate, longevity, discipline in training, and correct behaviour; throughout his entire, extensive career, he was never once sent off.
Death
Santos died on 23 July 2013 in hospital in Uberaba, where he had lived for two decades.
He died due to
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
and severe hemodynamic instability, culminating with
cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...
, having been hospitalized since 1 July 2013.
Honours
Portuguesa
*
Torneio Rio – São Paulo: 1952, 1955
Palmeiras
*
Campeonato Paulista
The Campeonato Paulista Série A1, commonly known as Campeonato Paulista, nicknamed Paulistão, is the top-flight professional association football, football league in the Brazilian States of Brazil, state of São Paulo (state), São Paulo. Run b ...
:
1959,
1963,
1966
*
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (; English: "Brazilian Championship A Series"), commonly referred to as the Brasileirão (; English: "Big Brazilian"), and also known as Brasileirão Assaí due to sponsorship with Assaí Atacadista, is a Br ...
:
1960,
1967 (Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa),
1967 (Taça Brasil)
*
Torneio Rio – São Paulo: 1965
Brazil
*
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the ' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament ha ...
:
1958,
1962
*
Panamerican Championship
The Panamerican Championship was an international football tournament held by the Panamerican Football Confederation every four years with three editions held from 1952 through 1960. :
1952
*
Roca Cup
The Roca Cup ( es, Copa Roca) was a football competition contested between Argentina and Brazil national teams from 1914 to 1976 on irregular basis. The Copa Roca was the first trophy, official or unofficial, ever won by a Brazilian national team ...
: 1957, 1960, 1963
*
Copa Río Branco: 1968
*
Taça Oswaldo Cruz
The Taça Oswaldo Cruz (English: ''Oswaldo Cruz Cup''), was a football tournament played between the national teams of Brazil and Paraguay, and contested from 1950 to 1976, albeit irregularly.[FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
At the end of each FIFA World Cup final tournament, several awards are presented to the players and teams who have distinguished themselves in various aspects of the game.
Awards
*There are currently five post-tournament awards from the FIFA ...]
: 1954, 1958, 1962
*
World Soccer World XI: 1962, 1963, 1965
*
FIFA XI
FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
: 1963
*
FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
The FIFA All-Time Team is a fictive all-time association football team published by FIFA in 1994. It is an eleven-member side divided as one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards.
__NOTOC__
See also
*FIFA 100
...
: 1994
*
FIFA 100
The FIFA 100 is a list of Brazilian footballer Pelé's choice of the "greatest living footballers". Unveiled on 4 March 2004 at a gala ceremony in London, England, the FIFA 100 marked part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the fou ...
*The Best of The Best – Player of the Century: Top 50
"The Best of The Best"
Retrieved on 17 November 2015
* Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame
References
External links
RSSSF complete stats on international appearances
Brazilian Football Confederation profile (in Portuguese)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santos, Djalma
1929 births
2013 deaths
FIFA 100
Brazilian footballers
Footballers from São Paulo
Club Athletico Paranaense players
Associação Portuguesa de Desportos players
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras players
1954 FIFA World Cup players
1958 FIFA World Cup players
1962 FIFA World Cup players
1966 FIFA World Cup players
FIFA World Cup-winning players
Brazil international footballers
Deaths from pneumonia in Minas Gerais
Association football defenders