 Santos in 1956 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Nílton dos Santos | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1925-05-16)16 May 1925 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro,Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 27 November 2013(2013-11-27) (aged 88) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Botafogo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1948–1964 | Botafogo | 723 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1949–1962 | Brazil | 75[1] | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nílton dos Santos (Brazilian Portuguese:[ˈniwtõˈsɐ̃tus]; 16 May 1925 – 27 November 2013) was a Brazilianfootballer who primarily played as awingback.[2] At international level, he was a member of theBrazil squads that won the1958 and1962 World Cups.
Regarded as one of the greatest defenders in the history of the game, Nílton Santos is a member of theWorld Team of the 20th Century, and was named byPelé one of thetop 125 greatest living footballers at aFIFA Awards ceremony in 2004.[3] In 2009, he was the recipient of theGolden Foot Legends Award.[4] He was unrelated to his frequent defensive partnerDjalma Santos.
Born inRio de Janeiro, he was a pioneering attacking left back, being one of the first full backs to make runs down the wing to participate in the offensive game. Once he said: "I have never envied today's players the money but the freedom they have, to go forward".[5]He played all his professional club career forBotafogo de Futebol e Regatas.
He was called "TheEncyclopedia" because of his knowledge of the sport of football. He was world class both at defending and attacking and possessed very good technique.
Nílton was a key player in defence during the1954,1958 and1962World Cup finals (he was also in the Brazilian squad for the1950 finals, but made no appearances) and became famous for scoring a goal in the 1958 tournament when Brazil playedAustria.Dribbling his way through the whole field, he finished with a shot that drove his coachVicente Feola crazy (he kept on insisting for Nílton to retreat to thedefensive field, but was ignored until the goal was scored).[6]
Nílton Santos played for only two teams in his professional career;Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas and theBrazil national team collecting 75 caps and scoring 3 goals.[1]
Santos died of alung infection on 27 November 2013, aged 88, in Rio de Janeiro.[7] He was not only the last surviving member of the Brazil1950 FIFA World Cup squad, but also the fourth 1958 World Cup champion to die in a few months, afterDjalma Santos died in July 2013,Gilmar andDe Sordi both in August 2013 and all of them within a year of the2014 FIFA World Cup in their native Brazil.
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas's home, and2016 Summer Olympics host stadium, theEstádio Olímpico Nílton Santos, also calledEngenhão, is named after him.
Botafogo
Rio de Janeiro State Team
Brazil
Individual
(in Portuguese)| World Cup-winners status | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Oldest living player 16 June – 27 November 2013 | Succeeded by |
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