Didi

Didi was a Brazilian football player. His full name is Waldyr Pereira. He was born in 1928 in Rio de Janeiro and at the beginning of his professional career he played for Americano de Campos, Lençoense and Madureira. Between 1949 and 1956 he played for Fluminense and in that period they won the Campeonato Carioca and Copa de Rio. From 1957 to 1959 he played for Botafogo, in 1957 they won the Campeonato Carioca. In 1959/60 Didi played for Real Madrid though he wasn’t given enough playing time and had contradictions with the manager and returned to Botafogo.

Between 1963 and 1966 he had spells at Club Sporting Cristal, São Paulo, Botafogo, CD Veracruz and retired form São Paulo. Since 1952 he played for the Brazil national team for a decade. In that period they won FIFA World Cup in 1958 and 1962. In 1958 he was named World Cup’s top player.

Didi went in for coaching and guided Sporting Cristal, the Peru national team, River Plate, Fenerbahçe, Fluminense, Cruzeiro, Al-Ahli and Alianza Lima. He died of cancer in 2001.