People often let players who are on the less flamboyant side of the game slip their mind once their career is over. One such star was Djalma Santos!
The defender was a true representation of Brazilian flair, capable of pulling something special out of his bag of tricks whenever it was required. He was even more known for immaculate defensive abilities that would make one question just how ahead of his time he truly was, hence his nickname of "A Muralha" ("The Wall").
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The fullback role in football is, quite frankly, a mystery. So much is demanded from them. Defensively, they have to be adept at stopping wingers, jockeying them until they identify the precise moment they can stick their foot in and steal the ball away from their opponents. If the attacker does manage to get past them, they will then need to utilise their pace to recover and the tackling ability to either win the ball back cleanly or put it into touch to alleviate danger.
That sounds like a tough job on its own. Then, one realises that they also need to be competent in the air to win headers. Then there's the task of understanding positioning, off-the-ball defensive movements and so many more things that come with being a great defender. There's also the question of the fullback's ability on the ball because the game has evolved in such a way that the wide backs find themselves having to saunter into central midfield to receive the ball and progress play.
It is essential in today's world for the right-back to be the complete defender, and that is just what Santos may have been. His career spanned 25 years between 1948 and 1973, spending all of his professional playing days in Brazil, representing Portuguesa (from 1948 to 1959), Palmeiras (1959 to 1968), and Atletico-PR, where he retired in 1973. He won a considerable amount of silverware throughout his career, too, but the most notable were those he achieved at international level.
Brazil won the 58,62 70 World Cup with every single player in their squads playing club football in ????. Brazil's greatest ever footballers and best players of their era like Garrincha, Didi, Djalma Santos, Nilton Santos, Carlos Alberto all spend most of their career in Brazil pic.twitter.com/HJkq6dAM00
— All Things Brazil™ ???? (@SelecaoTalk) April 19, 2020
The Brazilian was in his nation's squad for four consecutive World Cup tournaments from 1954 to 1966, two of which the side won. The Selecao won the tournament in 1958 and defended their crown in 1962. Santos, of course, played a crucial role in the team's success and the evidence to this lies in the fact that he was included in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team for three consecutive editions of the World Cup (in 1954, 1958 and 1962).
He was able to achieve this because of the fantastic ability he possessed. He could jockey a winger and had the pace to keep up with them and eventually win the ball with a firm tackle. He had the defensive side of his game sewn up, and on the ball it was much the same as he would receive it before juggling it and passing it through the air to advance play up the field.
Santos would eventually retire in 1973 with a very decorated trophy cabinet and a legacy that should never be forgotten. He passed away in July 2013, reportedly due to pneumonia. He may be gone, but the everlasting influence he had on the game will not disappear.
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