 Bellini in 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 7 June 1930 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Itapira, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 20 March 2014 (aged 83) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | São Paulo, Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952–1961 | Vasco da Gama | 430 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1967 | São Paulo | 205 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1968–1969 | Atlético Paranaense | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1957–1966 | Brazil | 51 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini (7 June 1930 – 20 March 2014) was a Brazilian footballer of Italian origin who played as a defender and was known in Brazil as one of the nation's most solid central defenders ever.
During his career he played for Vasco da Gama, São Paulo FC and Atlético Paranaense, and he was the first Brazilian to lift the World Cup in 1958. He won another World Cup in 1962 and participated also at 1966 FIFA World Cup as the team captain again.[1]
He was honored with a statue at the entrance of the Maracanã stadium, which depicts him lifting the 1958 World Cup trophy. At the end of his international career from 1957 to 1966 with Brazil he earned a total of 51 caps[2] being the captain during the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden.
Bellini is credited with starting the tradition of lifting the trophy into the air in football. He initially did this so that photographers could have a better view of the trophy and, as the photos were published around the world, the gesture became associated with victory.
Bellini died on 20 March 2014, aged 83, in São Paulo, due to complications caused by Alzheimer's disease culminating with cardiac arrest.[3]
Shortly after his death in 2014, Brazilian footballer Bellini was posthumously diagnosed with CTE. Bellini, along with Pelé, Didi and Garrincha, led Brazil to FIFA World Cup victories in 1958 and 1962.[4]
