Vavá, Peito de Aço, the Vasco idol who scored in two World Cup finals | OneFootball

Vavá, known as Peito de Aço, stands among Vasco’s greatest icons and a World Cup finals marksman. He scored in two different finals for Brazil and lifted the trophy in 1958 and 1962.

He hit Brazil’s first two goals in the 5-2 win over Sweden in 1958, then scored the third in the 3-1 victory against Czechoslovakia in 1962. Globo.com notes he was the first to score in two World Cup finals, later matched only by Pelé, Zidane, Paul Breitner and Mbappé in 1958 and 1970, 1998 and 2006, 1974 and 1982, and 2018 and 2022.

Vavá struck nine World Cup goals in total, making him Brazil’s joint third-highest scorer at the tournament alongside Ademir Menezes and Jairzinho, behind only Pelé and Ronaldo.

Born in Recife, he moved from Sport to Vasco in 1952 and scored the title-clinching goal in a 2-1 win over Bangu. He stayed until 1958, lifting 12 trophies, and across 259 games scored 148 goals to rank eighth on the club’s list.

Renowned for opportunism and ferocious work, he offset the greater technical brilliance around him with power and commitment. Reports say he once played with a foot fissure and often finished with torn boots, earning the nickname Leão da Copa.

Vavá died aged 67 in 2002 from cardiac arrest. His widow recalled him watching matches and speaking proudly about his goals and World Cups, while Evaristo de Macedo said he longed for a chance in management and dreamed of coaching Vasco.

Source: Globo.com