Please click on the links above to see videos of these competitions.

Copa América Champions

2004 1999 1997 1989 1949 1922 1919

History

Brazil, which is the only country to have participated in every World Cup, has won the competition on five separate occasions: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. They have won the silver medallion twice: In 1950 (when they were shockingly defeated at the Maracanã by Uruguay) and 1998. They finished in third place in 1978. After their third victory in 1970, Brazil retired the Jules Rimet Trophy. Since that time, the competition has been called the FIFA World Cup.  Brazil has given us some of the most brilliant players in the history of the game. Their names, which are imbued into the souls of every Brazilian, are as colorful as their talents: Pelé, Jairzinho, Garrincha, Rivellino, Tostão, Mario Lobo Zagallo, Carlos Alberto, Socrates, Zico, Falcao, Dunga, Romario, Bebeto, Cafú, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho Gaucho, and Ronaldo. The phrase jogo bonito, which means to play the game with beauty and grace, invokes the images of the millions of children who play futebol on the streets and beaches of Brazil. 

Click on the
image to see
his greatest goals.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Most of the world knows him simply as Pelé, and he is recognized as the greatest player of all time. He spent his entire career with only two club teams: Santos, in his native Brazil, and the New York Cosmos, where he introduced the beautiful game to a generation of North Americans. Obrigado, Pelé! With the Brazilian National Team, he won three World Cup titles, which is a record. He is also the only athlete ever to cause a truce in a war. During the Biafran Civil War in Nigeria, both sides called a two day truce to watch him play. In 92 national team appearances, he scored 77 goals. During his entire career, he scored 1282 goals. He played in over 88 different countries, and is arguably the most recognized person in the world. Along with Diego Maradona of Argentina, he was named co-player of the century by FIFA.

My Friend Who Played With Pelé: The true story of one young man's idyllic year featured on Futebol, The Brazilian Way of Life.

BBC Audio Interviews with Pelé (English language. Interesting clips about the origin of his name, along with his greatest memories.)

Biography of Pelé (A concise and informative article by Africanamericans.com.)

Once in a Lifetime (How he and the Cosmos brought soccer to mainstream North America.)

Pelé's Autobiography, My Life and The Beautiful Game, at Amazon.com (I wrote a book review.)

Pelé.net (His official site. Portuguese language.)

Pelé Interviewed by Alex Bellos (An intriguing and detailed interview from December 2002. The author wrote the book "Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life.")

Pelé Photo Gallery by 360 Degrees Soccer (Beautiful vintage photo gallery.)

Pelé Replica Shirts (A great selection, and some are autographed.)

The Man Who Stopped A War With A Ball  (This was written many years ago when I was a college student. The focus was for a children's audience.)

The Truce (An article from the Washington Post that discusses the truce he caused in the Biafran Civil War in Nigeria.)

Brazilian Futebol Sites

World Cup 2006 Qualifying

South American World Cup Qualifying Schedule and Results (Courtesy of Futebol, The Brazilian Way of Life.)

In a new feature by FIFA, the defending champion, Brazil, must qualify for the next World Cup. For South American qualification, there are eighteen games. Each team plays home and away in a grueling competition that often spans thousands of miles, along with very different climates and altitudes. The top four teams will qualify for Germany. The fifth place team will compete in a two-game playoff with the winner of Oceania. To learn more about World Cup 2006, please click on the highlighted link at the top of this page. Brazil participated in its 18th consecutive World Cup in Germany. No other nation can claim this honor.

.top