Leonidas Silva Brazilian footballer Date of Birth: 06.09.1913 Country: Brazil

1. Biography of Leonidas Silva
2. Introduction to the Football World
3. Flamengo and the Famous "Bicycle Kick"

Biography of Leonidas Silva

Leonidas da Silva was a Brazilian footballer who was born on September 6, 1913. He played as a forward and made his debut in December 1932, just ten minutes before the end of a match against Uruguay, the world champions and Olympic gold medalists, when Brazil was losing 0-1. In the time given to him, Leonidas scored two goals.

Club Career:
- "Havanessa", "Barroso", "Sul Americano", "Sirio Libanes", "San Cristovao" "Bonsucesso" Rio de Janeiro (all Brazil) (1931-1932)
- "Nacional" Montevideo (Uruguay) (1932-1933)
- "Vasco da Gama" Rio de Janeiro (1934)
- "Botafogo" (1935-1936)
- "Flamengo" (1936-1942)
- "Sao Paulo" (all Brazil) (1942-1951)
In total, he played 800 matches and scored 760 goals.

Titles:
- 3rd place in the 1938 World Cup (8 goals in 4 matches, top scorer of the tournament)
- Participant in the 1934 World Cup
- "Carioca League" champion in 1934, 1935, 1939
- "Paulista League" champion in 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949
- Brazilian national team player from 1932 to 1946
- Played 19 matches and scored 21 goals for the national team

Introduction to the Football World

In one of my previous columns, I have already mentioned the sensational international debut of the greatest football player of the 1930s - Leonidas da Silva. He made his first appearance on the field in December 1932, just ten minutes before the end of a match against Uruguay, the world champions and Olympic gold medalists, when Brazil was losing 0-1. In the time given to him, Leonidas scored two goals...

At the age of only nineteen, he participated in the most unfortunate World Cup for Brazil in 1934. The team was eliminated in the first match, losing 1-3 to Spain, but Leonidas scored the only goal for Brazil.

After the disappointment of the World Cup, the Brazilian national team did not assemble for over a year. When preparations began for the 1936-1937 Americas Championship in Argentina, the new national team coach, Ademar Pimenta, ignored Leonidas. Initially, the tournament went well for Brazil as they defeated all their opponents. However, they lost to Argentina in the final. In the first match, the score was 0-1, and in the replay, it was 0-2. The top scorer of the Brazilian team in this tournament was Carvalho Leite, another legendary figure and one of the best players of Botafogo, a club that did not appreciate Leonidas.

Meanwhile, Leonidas, known as "Homen de boracha" (the Rubber Man) for his incredible flexibility, continued to amaze audiences with his virtuoso dribbling and fantastic goals. He moved from the modest "Bonsucesso" to the Uruguayan club "Penarol," but returned to Rio after a year. First, he played for "Vasco da Gama" and then for "Botafogo." He faced difficulties there as the club officials, who were not accepting of players of color at the time, easily sold him, or rather, gave him away to the less discriminating "Flamengo" for a symbolic price of five contos. It was in this club that Leonidas played from 1936 to 1942 and where his fame grew.

Flamengo and the Famous "Bicycle Kick"

In "Flamengo," Leonidas became famous for his famous "bicycle kicks" - a shot executed while falling backward over his head. Today, this technique is confidently and elegantly performed by many masters, but at that time, it stunned the audience, like a circus trick. However, it wasn't just the audience who were amazed... In a match between "Flamengo" and Argentinean "Independiente" in Buenos Aires, Leonidas scored a goal using this move from the edge of the penalty area. The goalkeeper of "Independiente," Bello, rushed towards him while he was still lying on the ground and began enthusiastically embracing the virtuoso. Other Argentinean players quickly joined in to congratulate the hero. The stands roared in celebration. It was like witnessing a mind-boggling illusion from Copperfield.

The rest of the Brazilians, also shocked by the magnificent goal, became emotional and felt connected to this grand celebration of love. It was impossible to play regular football after such a virtuoso goal, and the Argentinians took advantage of it. While the players of "Flamengo" continued to hug and pat Leonidas on the back, the referee blew the whistle to resume play, and the Argentinians quickly organized themselves, snatched the ball from the exultant visitors, and scored an equalizer. And then another. They won the match. Leonidas played 37 matches for the national team, including official and friendly matches, and scored 37 goals.

In the words of Eduardo Galeano, a Uruguayan writer and football historian, "With his size, speed, and cunning, Leonidas resembled a malaria mosquito."

Nelson Rodrigues, a Brazilian writer, described him as "a truly Brazilian player, from head to toe. He possessed imagination, improvisation skills, and a joyful recklessness that was only characteristic of our best players."