The samba storm that shook the world in football: Who is Didi?

Brazilian football player and coach. He is one of the most famous football players in the world. Didi, whose real name is Waldir Pereira, was born on December 8, 1928. He started football with the Fluminense team, then moved to the Flamengo club. He made his name in the famous Botatago club of Brazil. In 1959, he transferred to the famous Spanish club Real Madrid. In this team, where the biggest stars of the football world came together, he could not adapt to other football players and returned to his country.

Waldyr Pereira, also known as Didi (8 October 1928 – 12 May 2001), was a Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder or as a forward. He played in three FIFA World Cups (1954, 1958, and 1962), winning the latter two and was awarded the Golden Ball, given to the tournament's best player, for his performance at the 1958 competition.

He played for Cristal Lima in 1962, and later for Atlanta Mexico. Didi, who played for the Brazilian National Team in 1954, 1958, and 1962 World Cup matches, played for the Brazilian National Team 79 times throughout his football life.

In 1966, my football life ended with the Sao Paulo team. A large statue of him was erected in front of the 150,000-seat Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Didi then left his country and first went to Peru, coaching the national team of this country, helping this team advance to the semi-finals of the 1970 World Cup. He later coached Argentina's River Plate team. He went to Turkey in 1972 and became the coach of the Fenerbahçe team. During his three-year tenure, Fenerbahçe became the league champion twice and the cup once. In 1975, he went to Saudi Arabia and started to run the Crescent Club there.

Details from his life

Valdir Pereira Didi was born on October 8, 1928. Like all children in Brazil, Didi was introduced to the leather round on the street. Didi, who played ball barefoot in the neighborhoods, and on the beaches, attracted attention in a short time. Didi's professional career started in 1946.

In 1943, when the world's countries were struggling to survive, 14-year-old Didi was in a war that could change the direction of his life forever. His right leg was in terrible shape from the infection, and the doctors were almost certain it would go as far as amputating the leg. Of course, they didn't know that the leg they were going to cut belonged to a boy who was destined to become one of Brazil's greatest footballers and to play in three World Cups and win two of them for his country.

Fortunately, God must have loved football. And watching Brazil on the green field, like every football lover... Because under Didi's maestro, I had the opportunity to watch the magnificent "Brazilspor" from Pele, Garrincha and Zagalo, which went to the World Cup in 1958 and 1962. not even his heart was willing to lose by the misfortune of an infection. Didi got better.

Respectively; The national team adventure of Didi, who played for Americano, Lençoense, Madureira, Fluminense, and Botafogo, started in 1952. Didi played for the Brazilian National Team in the 1954, 1958, and 1962 World Cups. Sambacılar won the trophies in 1958 and 1962.

Didi, who was the nightmare of his rivals with his free kicks, attracted the attention of the Europeans with the 1958 World Cup. Didi transferred to Real Madrid in 1959. However, the European adventure of the star football player was short-lived. Stating that he was unhappy at Real Madrid, Didi transferred to Botofogo in 1960.

The legend, who played for Botofogo between 1960-1962, was then transferred to Sportif Cristal. Didi played in Sao Paulo, Botofogo, and Veracruz and ended his career in Sao Paulo in 1966.

Didi won the Copa Oswaldo Cruz Cup in 1955, 58, 61, and 62, as well as the 1958 and 1962 World Cups with the Brazilian national team jersey. Samba from Didi; won the O'Higgins Cup in 1955, 1961, the Pan American Games Championship in 1952, and the Atlantic Cup in 1956.

Playing for Real Madrid for only one season, Didi won the 1960 European Cup with the Spanish giant with the Ramon de Carranza Cup in 1959.