Carlos Alberto, Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning captain, dies aged 72 By Lyall Thomas
Last Updated: 25/10/16 4:23pm
Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning captain Carlos Alberto Torres has died aged 72. The athletic centre-half was widely considered one of the best defenders of all time and scored Brazil's fourth goal in a famous 4-1 victory in the 1970 final over Italy in Mexico City. Alberto made over 400 league appearances in eight years with Santos between 1966 and 1974, winning the Paulistao championship four times as well as the Recopa Sul-Americana and Taca de Prata in 1968. He had begun his career at Fluminense, where he returned in 1974 and spent three more years before a short spell with Flamengo.
Alberto was one of a number of high-profile Brazilian players recruited by a rebranded North American Soccer League (NASL) in the USA, signing for the New York Cosmos and reunited with Pele in 1977, joining on the day of the historic New York City blackout.
Alberto won two consecutive NASL titles in 1977 and 1978 and then spent a season with California Surf before returning to the Cosmos in 1982, where he won his third league title.
The Rio de Janeiro-born centre-back retired in 1982, after an illustrious 21-year senior career spanning over 700 appearances and 64 goals, and he immediately went to manage former club Flamengo for two seasons before spells in charge of Corinthians and Nautico.
Alberto continued his managerial career right up until 2005 when he had a short spell in charge of the Azerbaijani national team. To his death, he had retained the nickname 'the captain' in his home nation of Brazil.
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12027/10632031/carlos-alberto-brazils-1970-world-cup-winning-captain-dies-aged-72
