From there he would shoot his poison arrows.”Įduardo Galeano’s description of Waldyr Pereira at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden sums up the majesty and technical brilliance of a player who was one of the greatest of all time.īut Didi, as Pereira is more commonly known, is rarely listed among the game’s greats and almost didn’t go to that World Cup.ĭespite having scored a free kick in a qualifying match against Peru which sent Brazil to Sweden, there were fears that the then 30-year-old’s laid back style would combine with his advancing years to make him ineffective at the tournament.īut both his experience and his style were to prove vital. “Didi looked like an African icon, standing at the centre of the field, where he ruled.
