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Leonidas Da SilvaBrazilian footballer, striker
Date of Birth: 06.09.1913
Country:  Brazil |
Content:
- Leonidas da Silva: The Legendary Brazilian Striker
- Childhood and Early Career
- World Cup Glory
- Retirement and Legacy
- The Birth of the "Bicycle Kick"
- Achievements
- Bronze Medal, FIFA World Cup: 1938
- Copa Roca: 1945
Leonidas da Silva: The Legendary Brazilian Striker
Leonidas da Silva, widely considered one of Brazil's greatest footballers, was born on September 6, 1913, in the San Cristovão district of Rio de Janeiro. His parents, Manoel Nunes da Silva and Maria, named him after Leonidas I, the Spartan king.
Childhood and Early Career
From an early age, Leonidas' passion for football superseded his mother's desire for him to prioritize education. He started playing at Praia Formosa near Ponte dos Marinheiros, despite her disapproval. While he struggled in math and literature at Epísíquio da Souza School, he excelled in physical culture. By age 13, he joined the youth team of Santos Futebol Clube.
World Cup Glory
Leonidas' remarkable performance at the 1938 FIFA World Cup in France cemented his legendary status. In the opening match against Poland, he scored a hat-trick in Brazil's 6-5 victory. In the quarterfinal against Czechoslovakia, he scored in both the first (1-1) and second (2-1) games.
In a controversial decision, Brazil coach Ademar Pimenta benched Leonidas for the semifinal against defending champions Italy. Brazil lost 1-2 and missed out on the final. Two explanations have been proposed: either Leonidas was injured or Pimenta intended to save him for the final, which he believed Brazil would reach.
In the third-place match against Sweden, Leonidas netted two goals to finish as the tournament's top scorer, having scored eight goals in four appearances. Overall, he tallied 25 goals in 24 games for the Brazilian national team.
Retirement and Legacy
After retiring as a player, Leonidas became a renowned sports commentator. He passed away in 2004 at the age of 90 due to Alzheimer's disease.
The Birth of the "Bicycle Kick"
Leonidas is often credited with inventing the "bicicleta" (overhead kick). However, researchers attribute the first such kick in Brazil to Petronilho, while the term "bicicleta" was first used by the newspaper "A Platéia" after Petronilho's goal. Earlier still, Chilean footballer Ramón Unzaga performed a similar move, which became known as "escuela chorera" in Chile and "La chilena" in Argentina.
Leonidas' fame stems from his execution of the overhead kick at the World Cup, introducing the spectacular technique to a global audience.
Achievements
TeamCampeonato Carioca (Rio de Janeiro State Championship): 1934, 1935, 1939
Bronze Medal, FIFA World Cup: 1938
Copa Rio Branco: 1932Campeonato Paulista (São Paulo State Championship): 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949
Copa Roca: 1945
IndividualCampeonato Carioca Top Scorer: 1938 (16 goals), 1940 (30 goals)
FIFA World Cup Top Scorer: 1938 (7 goals)
