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Socrates - RIP

grecian

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Died aged 57. Part of the greatest team never to win the World Cup in 1982.
For anyone of a certain age, that side will always live on, despite it's relative failure, "the day football died".

The goal against Russia was fairly decent.

RIP.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
What happened to him? Noticed on SSN last night that he was on life support but didn't really see the story behind.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
What happened to him? Noticed on SSN last night that he was on life support but didn't really see the story behind.
Been circling the drain before. Was admitted to hospital in August with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Alky, basically and his smoking was a matter of record.
 

Jacknife

International Captain
As grecian said that Brazil side form the 80's will always be remembered, as a kid I always played as Zico but my brother always was Socrates, great player. RIP.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
Died aged 57. Part of the greatest team never to win the World Cup in 1982.
Wonderful, wonderful team, even if Holland and Hungary might have something to say about that particular title. And Socrates was simply outstanding in that particular tournament. Criminally young, but seems to be self-inflicted. It's a good excuse to spend some time youtubing the 1982 Brazil side.
 

keeper

U19 Vice-Captain
Just been reading about how Socrates used his position as a national hero to challenge the military junta ruling Brazil at the time. He persuaded team-mates to wear shirts printed with 'I want to vote for my President' in one game. He challenged them to arrest him in post-match interviews. As well as a fully qualified Doctor he was a classy, elegant, intelligent and frequently explosive player too.

Nowadays we have Balotelli epitomising modern football.
 

keeper

U19 Vice-Captain
Wonderful, wonderful team, even if Holland and Hungary might have something to say about that particular title. And Socrates was simply outstanding in that particular tournament. Criminally young, but seems to be self-inflicted. It's a good excuse to spend some time youtubing the 1982 Brazil side.
France that year as well. The last great World Cup (although 86 was pretty good).
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Heard it was complications arising from food poisoning although has been known as a heavy drinker for many years.

Too young ever to see have seen him myself but sounds like a wonderfully romantic player.
 
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Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Just been reading about how Socrates used his position as a national hero to challenge the military junta ruling Brazil at the time. He persuaded team-mates to wear shirts printed with 'I want to vote for my President' in one game. He challenged them to arrest him in post-match interviews. As well as a fully qualified Doctor he was a classy, elegant, intelligent and frequently explosive player too.

Nowadays we have Balotelli epitomising modern football.
Hey Mario is cool.

But yeah Tim Vickery was talking about him yesterday and said he still felt he had an awful lot to offer Brazilian football as a whole.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Just been watching some old footage - had quite forgotten what a remarkable player he was

I suppose he was always destined to fall well short of his three score years and ten, but sad news all the same

RIP
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
France that year as well. The last great World Cup (although 86 was pretty good).
France were a good side in 82 but were a tad fortunate up until the Semi against Germany. England took them to the cleaners in the first group stage and were rewarded with a second round group with Germany and Spain. France on the other hand celebrated being beaten by England by ending up with Northern Ireland and Austria in their second round group.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
France were a good side in 82 but were a tad fortunate up until the Semi against Germany. England took them to the cleaners in the first group stage and were rewarded with a second round group with Germany and Spain. France on the other hand celebrated being beaten by England by ending up with Northern Ireland and Austria in their second round group.
All true. The French side were a joy to behold, but a really good team would never have let their two goal lead slip against that West German side, even allowing for Schumacher's assault on Battiston. tbt even when winning the Euros in 1984, and even allowing for home advantage, they struggled like crazy to beat a moderate Portugese side in the semis and needed a ****-up from the Spanish keeper to win the final.
 

keeper

U19 Vice-Captain
Aye, theirs was a fragile talent and able to implode at a moments notice. Over-reliant on the midfield to make up for lack of firepower elsewhere too. But they were sublime to watch and consecutive world cup semis either side of being European Champions was not a bad return - and one that would be grabbed by most English teams.

England's '82 campaign was one of their best, undefeated over 5 games against mainly tough opposition. Makes you wonder what could have been achieved without the injuries to Brooking, Keegan and Coppell. Bryan Robson was entering his peak years as France found to their cost but that wasn't enough. Weird second round going straight to semis that maybe saved us from an earlier start to the sequence of disastrous penalty shoot-outs.

Like I say, a great World Cup.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
Aye, theirs was a fragile talent and able to implode at a moments notice. Over-reliant on the midfield to make up for lack of firepower elsewhere too. But they were sublime to watch and consecutive world cup semis either side of being European Champions was not a bad return - and one that would be grabbed by most English teams.

England's '82 campaign was one of their best, undefeated over 5 games against mainly tough opposition. Makes you wonder what could have been achieved without the injuries to Brooking, Keegan and Coppell. Bryan Robson was entering his peak years as France found to their cost but that wasn't enough. Weird second round going straight to semis that maybe saved us from an earlier start to the sequence of disastrous penalty shoot-outs.

Like I say, a great World Cup.
Yes, it was a magnificent tournament - possibly even better than 1970, and certainly way superior to anything since. I think you're slightly over-stating that England side though -
my impression at the time was that they gradually ran out of steam after the impressive opening win against France and barely looked like scoring. Very solid in defence though: maybe Don Howe's team more than Greenwood's? Of course, we'd been quite appalling in the qualifiers and were lucky to be there at all. I must admit to not remembering Coppell's injury at all.
 

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