World champions receive a prize of R$ 100.

Jorge Wamburg
Reporter from Agência Brasil

Brasilia - Thirty-five football players, world champions in the 1958, 1962 and 1970 cups, begin to receive today (15) the prize of R$ 100 thousand established by the General Law of the Cup (Law 12.663/2012), which also provides for the payment of a monthly lifetime pension to those who are without resources or with limited resources to survive.

The special prize is being paid in a single installment by the Ministry of Sport, without income tax being applied. The benefit will also be received by the families of deceased former players, as well as the allowance, which will serve to supplement the beneficiary's monthly income until the maximum benefit amount of the General Social Security Regime (R$ 4.159,00) is reached.

In total, 51 athletes, or their families in the case of those who have died, are entitled to the benefit. The only world champion who refused the prize was midfielder Tostão (Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade), champion of the 1970 national team, who declared himself against the award. According to the ministry, the money was deposited into the champions' accounts.

Former right-back Djalma Santos, a member of the 1958 World Cup-winning team, who was a reserve player and only made the starting lineup for the final against Sweden (which Brazil won 5-2), told Agência Brasil that the government's initiative is fair.

"We did nothing more than our duty, but the award is well-deserved. After all, Brazilian football was in a bad state at that time, having lost the 50 World Cup at home to Uruguay and having been eliminated from the 54 World Cup in Switzerland by Hungary. We brought great joy to the fans and the country with that victory, the first World Cup won by Brazil."

Regarding Tostão's refusal to accept the award, Djalma Santos, now 80 years old and living in Uberaba (MG), says that "it's his opinion, but I think it's a bit wrong [to think that way], because most former world champion players need that money."

Another world champion who will receive R$ 100 is striker Dario, nicknamed "Peito de Aço" (Iron Chest) or "Dadá Maravilha" (Dadá Wonder) as he was known when he played. He says he is "very happy to be among these heroes," since he was part of the world champion team in 1970 in Mexico, as a reserve in the attack, which then consisted of Jairzinho, Pelé, Tostão, and Rivelino.

"I feel happy with this reward, because I was even at odds with God. If I had been born a few years after my playing days, I would have become a millionaire in today's football, since scoring goals was my specialty and that's the most valued role in modern football."

Now 67 years old and a sports commentator on television in Minas Gerais, Dario says he is more beloved by the public than when he was a player for Atlético Mineiro, "even though he was a tormentor of their great rival Cruzeiro."

Regarding his colleague Tostão's refusal of the award, Dario avoided commenting: "I won't get into that, because I'm not a lawyer." During his playing career, he scored 926 goals, 499 of them with his head – "I was a goal-scoring machine" – and also became famous for colorful phrases, such as "for every problem I have the solution."

The players who are receiving the R$ 100 prize are the following:

Altair Gomes de Figueiredo (Altair)

Amarildo Tavares da Silveira (Amarildo)

Antônio Wilson Vieira Honório (Coutinho)

Carlos Alberto Torres (Carlos Alberto)

Clodoaldo Tavares de Santana (Clodoaldo)

Dario José dos Santos (Dario)

Dino Sani

Djalma dos Santos (Djalma Santos)

Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé)

Eduardo Roberto Stinghen (Ado)

Emerson Leão (Leão)

Gérson de Oliveira Nunes (Gérson)

Gylmar dos Santos Neves (Gylmar)

Hercules Brito Ruas (Brito)

Hideraldo Luiz Bellini (Bellini)

Jair da Costa

Jair Marinho de Oliveira (Jair Marinho)

Jair Ventura Filho (Jairzinho)

Joel Camargo (Joel)

Jonas Eduardo Américo (Edu)

José Ely de Miranda (Zito)

José Guilherme Baldocchi (Baldocchi)

José João Altafini (Mazzola)

José Macia (Pepe)

José Maria Rodrigues Alves (Zé Maria)

Marco Antônio Feliciano (Marco Antônio)

Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo (Zagallo)

Mengálvio Pedro Figueiró (Mengálvio)

Moacir Claudino Pinto (Moacir)

Nílton De Sordi (De Sordi)

Nilton dos Santos (Nilton Santos)

Paulo Cézar Lima (Paulo Cézar Caju)

Roberto Lopes Miranda (Roberto Miranda)

Roberto Rivellino (Rivellino)

Wilson da Silva Piazza (Piazza)

The deceased world champions whose families will benefit are:

Carlos José Castilho (Castilho)

Edvaldo Alves Santa Rosa (Dida)

Edvaldo Izídio Neto (Vavá)

Everaldo Marques da Silva (Everaldo)

Felix Mieli Venerando (Felix)

Joel Antonio Martins (Joel)

José de Anchieta Fontana (Fontana)

José Ferreira Franco (Zequinha)

Jurandir de Freitas (Jurandir)

Manoel Francisco dos Santos (Garrincha)

Mauro Ramos de Oliveira (Mauro)

Orlando Peçanha de Carvalho (Orlando)

Valdemar Rodrigues Martins (Oreco)

Valdir Pereira (Didi)

Zózimo Alves Calazans (Zózimo).

Edited by: Davi Oliveira