Waldemar de Brito

Waldemar de Brito (May 17, 1913 – February 21,1979) was a Brazilian footballer, who played for several clubs in Brazil and Argentina, as well as for the Brazil national team. He is acknowledged to have discovered Pelé during the latter's early footballing days.

Club career

Waldemar, a native of São Paulo, played as an inside forward or as centre forward. At the beginning of his career, he played for the local clubs "Syrio", "Independência", and "São Paulo da Floresta". By 1933, he was playing professionally with the latter, now named São Paulo FC; he was top goalscorer of the Rio-São Paulo Tournament with 21 goals.pt iconcite web |url=http://www.gazetaesportiva.net/idolos/futebol/waldermarbrito/ | author=Belpiede, Marcelo | publisher=Gazeta Esportiva.net, Brazil | title="Waldemar de Brito: craque como jogador e descobridor de talentos" | accessdate=2007-01-03] The following year, he moved to Botafogo, where he spent a short time, before transferring to San Lorenzo de Almagro in the Argentine first division. In 1936, he returned to Brazil, this time to play for Flamengo, with whom he won the "Campeonato Carioca" of 1939. He went back to São Paulo in 1943, to play for Portuguesa de Desportos. He finished his playing career in 1945 with Portuguesa Santista.pt iconcite web |url=http://www.museudosesportes.com.br/noticia.php?id=23911 | author=www.museudosesportes.com.br | publisher=Museu dos esportes, Brazil | title="Waldemar de Brito do São Paulo" | accessdate=2007-01-03]

National team

Waldemar was capped 18 times for the Brazilian national team, scoring 18 goals. [cite web |url=http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/especial/2006/copa/todos_os_brasileiros-1934.shtml | author="Folha Online" | publisher="Folha de São Paulo" | title=Todos os brasileiros - 1934 | accessdate=2007-01-03] He played at the 1934 World Cup, where Brazil was eliminated by Spain in the first round. In that match, Waldemar took a penalty kick for Brazil, but Spain goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora saved his shot. [Source: http://www.rsssf.com/tables/34full.html#8fin]

Post-playing career

After he retired, Waldemar de Brito was part of a project to scout young talents at Bauru Atlético Clube. In 1954, he spotted a kid named Edson Arantes do Nascimento, whom he took to Santos FC, predicting that he would become the greatest footballer in the world. [cite web |url=http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/p/cp/bra/pele.html | author=fifaworldcup.com | publisher=FIFA | title=Pele biography | accessdate=2007-01-03] Although Waldemar is recognized for his own talent while he was a player, it is perhaps his scouting of Pelé what makes him most notable in the history of football in Brazil.

References and notes