Enshrined Monster even before he died Warm rhythm, soft and slow speech, but incisive. Everything about him was solemn. The walk, the talk, the disarm and the celebrate. Slowly. Within the four lines, functioned as a GPS, a turntable where the game should go, then switching to the flanks, or take advantage of the empty spaces. An Endangered Style Mário Esteves Coluna. A name always pronounced with respect, because the attitudes and the flashy style of owner always right Coluna, so imposed. As a midfielder, the Gallery of stars of his level is very restricted, entering in it only players like Didi, Beckenbauer and Platini. Endangered specie. The International Federation of football History and statistics recognized his importance for the development of King-sport. A Department of FIFA included his name as one of the 100 best players of the 20th century. Captain and Protector These days, across Europe and around the world, the vast majority of teams complained the absence of players with charisma, footballers to Coluna. He had a keen intuition to move next to the opponents half. But to that joined the strong volley away, almost always with lethal poison, which only gave the goalie the possibility to pick up the ball in the back of the net. But as captain, Coluna was a protector leader, who wouldnt admit that no one grew to a colleague. At those times, he used a phrase that bullied opponents: If you touch more on the kid, you get out of here with one leg kissing the other. It happened even in front of Pelé, when one day Morais felt intimidated by scoring the King. Colua went to him saying: continues to play crisp, because there you are called King, inside here you do not have any special status. What makes this sacred Monster so charismatic? The 126 goals in 525 games for Benfica. The fact that he is the player with the most matches with the captains armband, from 1963 to 1970? Will be maybe a little bit of everything, from the brand image that he brought from the cradle, which conferred authority and leadership, both within and outside the field. And, of course, his abnormal resistance, because when the majority of colleagues and opponents was with the tongue out, he imposed his rules. The humorous side One of the ways to loosen his tongue of Coluna was stirring his playful side. There are some stories: - Saíde Omar, questioned the designation of Sacred Monster to Mário Coluna. It saddened him, but got a little problem. Concerning the game Portugal-Mozambique, in Azores, the monster was admitted at the stadium alongside President Madail and the Ovation, frantic, lasted 30 minutes certainly. When all calmed down and in the cabins, he made a point of asking me: Caldeira, now go and tell your colleague Saíde Omar, who is, in fact, the sacred Monster! - Bulgaria 1980, with the national team. In the game, the Bulgarians discovered Coluna in the countertop, he who for about 20 years disgraced the maximum representation of the Bulgarians. It was a party, a set of unexpected homages. Coluna does not lose his phlegm, but was releasing some jokes to Cremildo Loforte, his deputy in the selection. O worm get up with me, that only this way youre going to win some props on your poor career. We arrived late at night to Lisbon with the rail, we would have to sleep with athletes at the center stage of the cross Broken on the first night, despite a hotel reserved for leaders. Everyone accepted the decision, except by the then locomotive President Miguel Matabele. With his pasty voice and roguish smile, the Monster took the leader by the arm and said: President: sleep on the bottom bunk to not fall under two mattresses, to feel like in the five-star Hotel. And close to the bathrooms: pee, poop, by night, Mr President ... is here! In Romania, in aid to Eusébio - One of the few times that Ive lost my mind A new episode for Coluna acknowledges that he lost his head, and opted for the aggression, yet not being expelled. Once again, the role of Captain joined the Punisher. Everything happened in Romania, a tough game, in which Eusébio was throwing things being the target of a hard appointment for part of a foot that didnt give truce, beating strong and ugly. At one point, the Romanian stepped the Black Panther, who fell and a boot left his foot out. The foot caught in the boot and tried to throw it over the fence. I was close and I held it. We had a small fight for possession of the boot and I managed to rip it. He prepared a gob of spit and spat on his face. I confess that it was one of the few times that I completely lost my head. I hit him repeatedly on the forehead, with great force, with the boot that was in his hand, causing him to bleed. The referee, an Englishman, went to the site already prepared to expel me. I showed him my face full of snot, mixed with spit. The judge reasoned quickly and saw that humanly justice was done because nobody with the boot on the hand would resist the temptation to take effort after a baseness of those. He took from the pocket a handkerchief, he wiped my face, and sent me to continue the game without throwing me out! Inspector Benfica fan saved him - Next to the cells of the PIDE Prague, 1966. Portuguese national qualifiers, for what would become the largest Portuguese epic ever, with the conquest of the third place in the world. Communism there. Fascism in Portugal. The distrust between everyone and everything was complete. Thats why Salazar ruled until death. The monster was the close to feel what has happened to his colleague Santana and to Daniel Chipenda: the stay in the dungeons of the PIDE. A happy circumstance saved him: This history of PIDE has to do with a trip to Czechoslovakia. Difficult game, in which we remained long time missing one player and surrendered to the limits. But before, appeared at the hotel some Angolan students; they asked invitations, because the idea was to support the Portuguese team. Coluna, as captain, gathered the tickets that his coleagues didnt need and offered them. Nothing more than that. The victory by 1-0, with goal Eusébios was memorable. And it gave the right to the party in the Communist scenario into somebodys House, harmless and fleeting episode, quickly forgotten. Only PIDE wasnt in agreement. Some escort/undercover saw that a compromise with the terrorists. Close to Lisbon, days later, the monster had received a summons to go to the PIDE. Any mistake? I had no idea what it was about, but the truth is that his feet no longer travelled with security with what they had done on the grass, his Kingdom. An unknown and hostile ground, from question to question, there is an enclosure guarded outside by two nerve, one of almost two meters and the other, with larger belly, with no less than 90 pounds. Both drove a few friends to the newcomer, spraying (maybe ignorance), in his status. They sent the Monster into the Cabinet for the formalities that would lead to the cell PIDESCA. The inspector who took care of him was of Benfica and his admirer. Hey Mário, my great captain. What brings you here? With the usual calm but with heart racing showed the printed that took him there. Finally, it dawned on me. Youre lucky that Im in service. With another colleague, these two roughnecks doorstep would receive orders to take you to the dungeons. The impressive Identity Card of the honored Mário Esteves Coluna was born on August 6, 1935, in Magude. He started playing the spearhead, later going on to perform in midfield. In Mozambique, he played in João Albasini and in Desportivo de Lourenço Marques. In Europe, he acted at Benfica, from 1954 to 70; He closed his career at Olympique de Lyon, in 1971. In 16 seasons in the first team of Benfica, he participated in 677 games, totalling 59,702 minutes, scoring 150 goals. Even today, he is the fastest footballer who captained the embodied team: 328 games. He was 10 times Portuguese champion (55, 57, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69). He won six times the cup of Portugal. He was two times European champion for Benfica (61 and 62) and three times runners-up (63, 65, 68). He performed 60 times for the Portuguese team, and was captain in 21 games. The highest point was the 3rd place in the world of England, in 1966. He performed 60 games (with 11 goals) in the European Cup and two in the UEFA Cup. He captained in Europe against the rest of the world. As a coach: He guided Sport Lisboa e Textáfrica do Chimoio, Huambo, Maputo Rail, Maxaquene, Maputo and Desportivo Beira Rail teams. He was national coach of Mozambique. Distinctions: Seven praises of Portuguese Football Federation: Gold Medal of merit, the Silver Medal Sports order of Infante d. Henrique (the highest Portuguese decoration), by the brilliant behavior in the 1966 FIFA World Cup. Praise of the General-Directorate of Sports, in attention to his exemplary sporting career, and Nachingweia Medal.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 07:07:32 +0000