Rank 11, WorldCupStory Club Index 26,468
Botafogo World Cup XI Dream Team
| Botafogo | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Country | WCups | Games | Mins | Goals | Capt | |
| GK | Pedrosa | Brazil | 1 | 1 | 90 | 0 | 0 |
| RB | Josimar | Brazil | 1 | 3 | 300 | 2 | 0 |
| CB | Mauro Galvão | Brazil | 1 | 4 | 353 | 0 | 0 |
| CB | Marinho Chagas | Brazil | 1 | 7 | 630 | 0 | 0 |
| LB | Nílton Santos | Brazil | 4 | 15 | 1361 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Garrincha | Brazil | 2 | 10 | 893 | 4 | 0 |
| MF | Didi | Brazil | 2 | 12 | 1080 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Mario Zagallo | Brazil | 1 | 6 | 540 | 1 | 0 |
| ST | Jairzinho | Brazil | 3 | 16 | 1430 | 9 | 0 |
| ST | Amarildo | Brazil | 1 | 4 | 360 | 3 | 0 |
| ST | Bebeto | Brazil | 1 | 7 | 523 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | 85 | 7560 | 24 | 0 |
Recent students of the World Cup may not be aware of Botafogo or its importance in the history of Brazil’s triumphs. Botafogo, a club based in Rio, has contributed more to Brazil’s World Cup cause than any other club, with 28 goals and over 11,000 minutes overall.
To be fair, this team is stronger going forward than defensively. In goal, we have Pedrosa, with only 90 minutes of World Cup football, and with Mauro Galvao and Marinho Chagas at centre back. Flanking them are two classy full backs: Josimar on the right, with his two memorable goals at Mexico 1986, and the legendary Nilton Santos with 4 World Cups under his belt on the left.
In midfield and up front, the Botafogo dream team is a tour de force. What other team would need to choose between players as good as Garrincha and Jairzinho on the right flank. Both are too good to omit and so we have picked them both. Didi and Mario Zagallo, from the 1958 and 1962 winning sides, make up the midfield engine room, to allow Garrincha and Jairzinho freedom to roam.
As out and out strikers there is Amarildo, who replaced the injured Pele in the 1962 winning team, and Bebeto, with a winner’s medal from 1994.
Despite being somewhat shaky at the back, there will be plenty of goals from Jairzinho, Amarildo and Garrincha, and there would be no shortage of entertainment on display from this team.
