Where and how the memory of the idol is preserved

It doesn’t take much effort to bump into a Mané Garrincha. A quick survey in Rio de Janeiro, for example, points to two public day care centers (Bangu and Marechal Hermes), a municipal school (Campo Grande), an Olympic Village (Caju), two Psychosocial Care Centers (Santa Cruz and Tijuca) and a square (Inhauma). Across the country, the most famous is the Estádio Nacional de Brasília, one of the stages of the 2014 World Cup. Forty years after the death of the former player (completed this Friday), it is undeniable that his name continues to rise. But what about the man behind it?

With the end of his life marked by alcoholism and impoverishment, Garrincha left no cataloged belongings (perhaps gathered). Many items that would help tell his story were lost. Still, memory of him is kept alive. In different places it is possible to know his trajectory and get an idea of ​​his size in football.

An even obvious example of where this occurs is the headquarters of Botafogo. The site has a tour through which the visitor can learn about the history of the club, with emphasis on football, and its idols, among which Garrincha occupies a prominent role.

On the Maracanã tour, the eternal shirt number 7 also gets the spotlight. In addition to his footprint on the Walk of Fame, there are other objects belonging to the former player, such as a pair of cleats and the uniform used in the Chilean Cup in 1962.

In addition to the photos, busts and traditional images, it is possible to have a closer contact with Garrincha by visiting Pau Grande. The neighborhood of the city of Magé, in the Metropolitan Region of Rio, became famous for being the birthplace of the idol of Botafogo and the Brazilian national team. And he doesn’t hide his pride.

There are two schools (one municipal and one state) named after the illustrious son, in addition to a multi-sport gym and a health center. In the second half of last year, the city hall launched a guided tour with the former player as the theme. Accompanied by a tour guide, the visitor walks through the streets of the neighborhood and gets to know some of the places most identified with Garrincha.

Part of the itinerary includes the house where he spent his childhood (and he used to run after the garrincha birds, which gave him his nickname) and the one he would later live in, given in 1962 by the local textile factory as a gift for his role in winning the Chile Cup. Sport Clube Pau Grande is another attraction, as well as the Barreira lawn, a field nestled in the middle of the forest and on top of a hill where the right winger played naked before and even during his fame (forcing Botafogo to send a car to pick him up when he didn’t return to Rio for the games) . The tour is completed with the church of Sant’Ana, where he was baptized, and the main square of the neighborhood, which has a bust of him.

The Botafogo coach, Luís Castro, has already taken this tour. In May of last year, the Portuguese made a point of learning more about the history of the club’s greatest idol. At the Barrier camp, he asked for some time alone. For a few moments, he contemplated the place where Garrincha took his first kicks on the ball.

On the other hand, experience also shows how, in terms of structure and assets, Garrincha’s legacy still coexists with a lack of care. In the small memorial dedicated to him at Sport Clube Pau Grande, conservation problems are clear, mainly due to excessive dust and the condition of the trophies. Already the house where he lived is for sale and closed for visitation.

collector’s item

A project tries to pierce this difficulty of preserving its memory in today’s times. “Memorabilia do Sport”, specialized in collectors’ items, produced a limited series of figurines of the star wearing the Botafogo uniform. Weighing around 1.2kg, made of ‘artificial stone’ and hand-painted, they are licensed by the club and come with a certificate of authenticity. According to Samy Vaisman, co-founder of the brand, the product attracted the interest not only of alvinegro fans, but of football lovers in general.

For this year, the launch of a comic book and a series of NFTs by Garrincha are also planned. Both in limited numbers. The sale of all products generates royalties for the idol’s family.

— Our mission is to rescue stories and immortalize deeds and idols. says Vaisman. — As a country, we don’t know how to respect idols, especially in life. Garrincha is an emblematic figure, a world idol who never had due value or respect for his history except in very rare moments.

Whoever agrees with him is Maria Cecília dos Santos. One of Garrincha’s daughters, she fights for her father’s image to be more publicized. At her house, in Oswaldo Cruz, she made a kind of memorial for her father. There are photos, tributes received and replicas of shirts. Not so rarely, fans knock on his door and ask to see the place, which he gladly allows:

“I can’t let his image be forgotten,” he says. — We need to put Garrincha more in people’s minds.