Hilderaldo Bellini

Hilderaldo Bellini

Bellini in 2008.
Personal information
Full name	Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini
Date of birth	(1930-06-07)7 June 1930
Place of birth	Itapira, Brazil
Date of death	20 March 2014(2014-03-20) (aged 83)
Place of death	São Paulo, Brazil
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1952–1961	Vasco da Gama	430	(?)
1962–1967	São Paulo	205	(1)
1968–1969	Atlético Paranaense
National team
1957–1966	Brazil	51	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini (June 7, 1930 – March 20, 2014) was a Brazilian footballer of Italian origin who played and was known in Brazil as one of the most solid Central defender.

Biography

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, in fact, He won another World Cup in 1962 and participated also at 1966 FIFA World Cup.^[1]

Statue of Bellini at the entrance of Maracanã

He was honored with a statue at the entrance of Maracanã, which depicts him lifting the 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 cairan 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]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini.