Brazil's Pecanha dead at 74

Brazil's Pecanha dead at 74
(AFP) Thursday 11 February 2010
Print
Email my friend
Share

Orlando Pecanha, who played for Brazil when they won the FIFA World Cup™ for the first time in Sweden in 1958 has died from a heart attack at the age of 74, the Brazilian Football Federation announced on Wednesday.

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1935, Pecanha was capped 34 times for his country and was regarded as one of Brazil's best ever defenders.

He started his career with Vasco de Gama in 1954 winning two league titles before moving to Argentina to play for Boca Juniors. He returned to Brazil in 1965 to play for Santos where he was a team-mate of Pele.

Pecanha also played in the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England before hanging up his boots in 1970 at the age of 35.