Leonidas da Silva: a pioneering man
A genius on the pitch, the Flamengo idol is also famous for his importance off the pitch.
By Communication - Official Club Website - in
If he were alive, Leônidas da Silva (1913-2004) would have turned 06.09 years old today (100). On the field, he is remembered as a super star, who enchanted the world mainly for his performances for the Brazilian National Team and for Flamengo, the club he played for from 1936 to 1941. Off the field, he was known for his pioneering spirit.
Leônidas was the first athlete in Brazilian soccer history to use marketing and the press to gain popularity. The best example of this was his role as a poster boy for Diamante Negro chocolate in the late 1930s. Lacta created this product to honor the star, who already had the nickname that gave the chocolate its name, and to use his fame to boost sales. The genius also advertised watches and cigarettes, and was the first former player to become a radio sports commentator in the country.
The star was also the first to take advantage of his status as a famous (Black) soccer player to win over "ladies from good families." From the arrival of the British sport in Brazil in the first decade of the 30th century until the XNUMXs, Black men were prohibited from playing for major clubs and were forbidden from dating women from the most traditional and important families. But being Leônidas...his parents actually liked him, said Mário Filho, an icon of sports journalism. In Brazil, he was the first player to break this barrier.
In 1938, in France, the Black Diamond became the first player to score a bicycle kick goal in a World Cup. The sad news is that the goal was disallowed because the referee was unaware of the move and deemed it illegal. Despite this, the star's name remains associated with the bicycle kick to this day. Many consider him the inventor of this move, but Leônidas himself admitted that he had only popularized the acrobatic move, which was already being practiced on the streets.
Shine for the Brazilian National Team
He played in two World Cups: 1934, when he scored Brazil's only goal in the competition (in a 1-3 loss to Spain), and 1938, in France, where he was the top scorer with seven goals in four matches and was voted the best player of that World Cup by the European press. That year, Leônidas played for the "Mais Querido" (Most Beloved). He only missed the 1942 and 1946 World Cups because they were canceled due to World War II.
In terms of goals per game average, Leônidas da Silva is the all-time top scorer for the Brazilian national team. In 37 matches, he scored 37 goals. Not even Pelé, with an average of 0,77 goals per match, surpassed the red-and-black idol.
Leônidas was the first athlete in Brazilian soccer history to use marketing and the press to gain popularity. The best example of this was his role as a poster boy for Diamante Negro chocolate in the late 1930s. Lacta created this product to honor the star, who already had the nickname that gave the chocolate its name, and to use his fame to boost sales. The genius also advertised watches and cigarettes, and was the first former player to become a radio sports commentator in the country.
The star was also the first to take advantage of his status as a famous (Black) soccer player to win over "ladies from good families." From the arrival of the British sport in Brazil in the first decade of the 30th century until the XNUMXs, Black men were prohibited from playing for major clubs and were forbidden from dating women from the most traditional and important families. But being Leônidas...his parents actually liked him, said Mário Filho, an icon of sports journalism. In Brazil, he was the first player to break this barrier.
In 1938, in France, the Black Diamond became the first player to score a bicycle kick goal in a World Cup. The sad news is that the goal was disallowed because the referee was unaware of the move and deemed it illegal. Despite this, the star's name remains associated with the bicycle kick to this day. Many consider him the inventor of this move, but Leônidas himself admitted that he had only popularized the acrobatic move, which was already being practiced on the streets.
Shine for the Brazilian National Team
He played in two World Cups: 1934, when he scored Brazil's only goal in the competition (in a 1-3 loss to Spain), and 1938, in France, where he was the top scorer with seven goals in four matches and was voted the best player of that World Cup by the European press. That year, Leônidas played for the "Mais Querido" (Most Beloved). He only missed the 1942 and 1946 World Cups because they were canceled due to World War II.
In terms of goals per game average, Leônidas da Silva is the all-time top scorer for the Brazilian national team. In 37 matches, he scored 37 goals. Not even Pelé, with an average of 0,77 goals per match, surpassed the red-and-black idol.