Nothing Like Talking to Someone Who Was There: The Truth About 1962

In the second group stage match for Brazil in the 1962 World Cup, Pele is hurt.

The king is out of it. The greatest player the world had seen till then, and arguably since then, will not go on.

Journalist Luis Carlos Barreto was in the Brazilian dressing room on that faithful day.

According to Barreto the news that Pele was out of the World Cup only served to hype Garrincha up even more.

Garrincha looked at his teammates and declared, "Now we're sure to win this cup!"

When confronted with the obvious sea of quizzical faces staring at him Garrincha went on, "Pele had been getting in my way—solta a bola Mane!....solta a bola Mane! (let the ball flow Garrincha) he would keep screaming in my ear, now that he's out of the way I can start playing, I'd only been giving about 40% of my ability so far."

And so said so done.

Garrincha went on to dominate the 1962 World Cup like no other, save Diego Maradona's one-man show in 1986.

Barreto also went on to comment on the horrific state of the pitches in this particular World Cup.

Apart from the national stadium in Santiago all the others were in a horrific state which oddly enough favoured Garrincha once more.

"It was as if he was playing a pelada (fun match usually involving alcohol). There were so many holes in the pitch it was as if he (Garrincha) was back in Pau Grande dribbling all comers".

So there you have it folks. Not only did Garrincha run the show on the field for the world to see but, according to selecao reporter Luis Barreto, Garrincha also ran the show backstage.

He rallied the troops through the toughest of situations, namely the loss of Pele.

Brazil will host the World Cup in 2014. The main stadium in the country's capital is aptly named the "Mane Garrincha".

This stadium is set to be demolished, reconstructed, and modernized in time for 2014.

The name "Mane Garrincha" will reportedly be changed. Should Brazil disregard and disrespect her heroes in this way?

Will the football gods punish the football nation?...only time will tell.