In Brazil you must work hard to be recognized as a football player. But it is a great recognition if your statue is set up. If you have not done anything special, such thing is impossible. A statue at “Maracana” is a special one.
In 2009 the statue of Zico who is called “white Pele” was set up at “Maracana”. I have seen this statue with my own eyes. The statue is in one of the halls of the stadium. It does not need a proof that Zico was a top-level player. In the late 70s and the beginning of the 80s he was constantly compared to Maradona, Michel Platini and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
His statue at “Maracana” is symbolic because the mentioned stadium is a domestic arena of “Flamengo”. The club which has the most 36 million fans in Brazil. Zico spent the largest part of his career in “Flamengo” and remains all-time top scorer of the club with 508 goals in 731 matches. He is the second by holding matches. Overall, he has held 1180 matches in his career and scored 826 goals.
In “Flamengo” Zico has won the Brazilian Championship four times: in 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1987. In 1981 he won Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup. Zico held 88 matches in the Brazilian national team and scored 66 goals. He played at World Cup in 1978, 1982 and 1986.
Zico was named the best football player of South America in 1977, 1981 and 1982. In 1984 he was named the best player of Serie A in “Udinese”. By the way, Zico scored 19 goals in his debut season at the Italian Championship. He was named the best player of Brazil in 1974 and 1982. He became top scorer of the Brazilian Championship in 1978, 1979 and 1982.
In 1974 Zico scored 49 goals and established record in “Flamengo”. He scored 56 goals in the following season.
In 1983 Zico was recognized as world’s top player by the version of World Soccer.
It is worth mentioning that the Japanese people set up his first statue. The Brazilian spent the last years of his career in “Kashima Antlers” of Japan. His bronze statue stands outside the domestic arena of this club.


Lasha Tabagari, special correspondent of worldsport.ge from Rio de Janeiro
Photos by the author