Zizinho: the master who preceded the king

It was November 1957 when Santos’s Vila Belmiro stadium became the stage for a symbolic encounter between two immortal figures of the Brazilian game. Time itself seemed to stand still for a moment that would become steeped in legacy.

On one side, a 17-year-old Pele, who had already been touted as the future of Brazilian football. On the other, a 36-year-old Zizinho, preparing to hang up his boots with the same grace and elegance that characterised his career.

Sao Paulo swept Santos aside 6-2 that day, but it was the young prodigy’s homage to his idol that endured beyond the result.

Pele’s admiration for his predecessor was no secret. “Zizinho was the best player I ever saw,” he repeated on multiple occasions throughout his life. In one interview, he recalled: “He was the complete package. He could play in midfield or up front and knew how to mark his opponents. He could dribble like no one else and create goalscoring opportunities. On top of that, he wasn’t fazed by his critics.”

Zizinho – whose full name was Thomaz Soares da Silva – was more than just an idol to Pele, he was a role model, combining flair with efficiency and intelligence with emotion whenever he took to the pitch.

Born in Sao Goncalo municipality in Rio de Janeiro, Zizinho came through the ranks at Flamengo, where he played from 1939 to 1950. He went on to ply his trade for Bangu, Sao Paulo and Uberaba, as well as Chile’s Audax Italiano. He won three consecutive state championship titles with Flamengo (in 1942, 1943 and 1944) and another with Sao Paulo in 1957 – the year he came up against Pele.

Zizinho featured in one edition of the FIFA World Cup™: Brazil 1950. He was regarded as among the best players at the tournament held on home soil, despite the agonising defeat to Uruguay in the final (dubbed the Maracanazo) and his group-stage performance against Yugoslavia is fondly remembered as one of the Seleção’s greatest ever.

Brazil’s infamous defeat in the 1950 tournament showpiece left a deep wound: “This Maracana was built to take titles away from me,” Zizinho once said.

His impact on the Brazilian national team nevertheless went far beyond an impressive 30 goals in 53 outings. At a time when Brazil was forging its footballing identity, he was a technical and passionate driving force, leaving behind an imprint of tactical intelligence and sporting integrity.

Zizinho’s legacy was not just about trophies; it was also about his playing style: refined and intelligent, with quick dribbling and pinpoint passing. Although he often played as an attacking midfielder, he could also drop back and contribute to the build-up or push forward to finish off moves. He was both skilful and competitive.

After retirement, he went into coaching. Known as Mestre Ziza (Master Ziza), the tactician influenced two of Brazil’s greatest footballers: Gerson and Zico, among others.

“Zizinho would explain the way he saw the game – the intelligence, the skill – to me: ‘Pay attention when you’ve got the ball. You’re not alone. There are lots of players out on the pitch and lots of players trying to take the ball off you,’” recalled Géeson – one of the stars of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning side – in an interview with ESPN Brasil.

As a teenager, when accompanying his older brother, Edu, to America-RJ training sessions, Zico would also spend time with Master Ziza.

“He called me over one day and said: "I know you’re at Flamengo – that club is different. That shirt is a double-edged sword; there are days when things might not go your way, you take a heavy touch or you’re not playing the way you want. So, go out there and fight for everything, because the fans love a player who wears the badge with pride,’” said Zico.

“I had the privilege of receiving advice from my dad’s idol – it was one of the best pieces of advice I ever got. I had the chance to tell him that. And he replied: ‘Keep it up. You’re doing great,” recounted Zico.