Jairzinho

Jairzinho, born Jair Ventura Filho on Christmas Day 1944 in Rio de Janeiro, is one of the most feared wide forwards in football history and a central figure in Brazil's 1970 World Cup triumph, widely regarded as the greatest international side ever assembled. He scored in all six of Brazil's 1970 matches in Mexico: against Czechoslovakia (twice), England, Romania, Peru, Uruguay and Italy in the final, finishing with seven goals. The feat of scoring in every game of a winning World Cup campaign has never been replicated. In June 2026, Lionel Messi joined Jairzinho and Just Fontaine as one of only three players to score in six consecutive World Cup matches across any edition of the tournament.

Jairzinho grew up in the Botafogo youth system and was essentially handed the shirt of his idol, Garrincha, when the winger's powers declined. He was quicker and more powerful than Garrincha and combined explosive pace down the right with a reliable goalscoring touch. He played in three consecutive World Cups (1966, 1970, 1974), accumulating 9 goals in 16 appearances. His club career centred on Botafogo in Rio before a late European stint at Olympique de Marseille. He won 81 caps and scored 33 goals for Brazil, a record that remained significant for decades.

Jairzinho's 1970 performance exists in football mythology partly because the footage is so good: Brazil's football that summer was a compendium of everything the game can be. His goals against England (a driven finish after beating the defender) and the clinical finish in the 4-1 final against Italy are among the most replayed clips in the sport's history. The "Furacão da Copa" (World Cup Hurricane) nickname given to him that summer has endured.