G8t player
Garrincha
Without Garrincha, I would never have been a three times world champion
- Pel
Despite his polio-twisted legs, Brazilian Garrincha surely vies only with Argentinian Maradona for a place in history as football's greatest ever dribbler of the ball. But as well as turning defenders inside out with his mazy runs and baffling unpredictable ability, Garrincha is also credited with having perfected the banana-kick. Born Manuel Francisco dos Santos in Pau Grande, Brazil, on October 28, 1933, he was nicknamed Garrincha - 'The Little Bird'. His legs never recovered straightness (the left one was bent inwards and the right was six centimeters shorter and curved outwards)