Garrincha: The triumph and tragedy of Brazil's forgotten footballing hero

If you’re a fan of football biographies, chances are you’ll have read Ruy Castro’s 2004 biography of Garrincha. It is an astonishing, idiosyncratic tale of a man who overcomes physical disability to win the World Cup and become one of the most iconic Brazilian footballers of all time. It is a bonkers story of a man who lost his virginity to a goat and fathered enough children to fill a football team and a subs bench. Brazil-based journalist Andrew Downie translated Castro’s book into English for its UK publication in 2004. This is his insight into one of the craziest football books ever written Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit backpagepress.substack.com