Everaldo (footballer, born 1944)

Everaldo (11 September 1944 - 28 October 1974) is a former Brazilian football player. He has played for Juventude, Gremio and Brazil national team. He is regarded as one of the best left-backs of all time. He was renowned as a ball-winner, defensive skills, marking opponents and he was capable as a fast and a strong left-back. Having a simple but efficient style of play, with a great ability to score. He earned his nickname Golden Star.
Career
Everaldo entered Gremio 's youth academy in 1957. In 1964 he was loaned to Juventude for two years. In 1965 he became vice champion with the club in the Campeonato Gaucho behind Gremio. Shortly afterwards he returned to Porto Alegre. In 1966 Everaldo won the Campeonato Gaucho with Gremio. It was the fifth time in a row that the club won the state championship. The next two years, in 1967 and 1968, the state championship was again won.
His good performances at Gremio led to Everaldo being called up to the Brazil national football team for the first time in 1967 for the games against Uruguay in the battle for the Copa Rio Branco. After three draws, it was decided to share the title. In 1970, national coach Mario Zagallo included him in Brazil 's squad for the 1970 World Cup, which took place in Mexico. Brazil, with players like Carlos Alberto Torres and Pele, became undefeated world champions in the final against Italy beating 4-1. Everaldo did not miss a single minute in the tournament, in which Brazil conceded just seven goals.
After winning the World Cup, Everaldo and his teammates were treated like gods by the Brazilian people. Everaldo received numerous awards and was made an honorary member of the Rio Grande do Sul Football Federation. In addition, President Emilio Garrastazu Medici presented him with a check for 25,000 cruzeiro and a savings account for 5,000 cruzeiro. On June 30, 1970, almost a week after Everaldo returned from Mexico, Gremio announced that he would dedicate the gold star in their logo to him for his achievements for the club and Brazilian football. He was the first football player from Rio Grande de Sul to become world champion with Brazil.
National coach Mario Zagallo did not include Everaldo in the squad for the Brazilian Independence Cup. This led to protest among Brazilian fans, who booed the national team in Brazil's last preparatory match against a selection of Gauchos (of which Everaldo was part). Shortly afterwards, however, another setback for the left back. On October 18, 1972, during Gremio's league game against Cruzeiro, Everaldo attacked the referee after he awarded a penalty kick to the opposing team. It was striking that three months earlier he had received the Premio Belfort Duarte received a sportsmanship award. Everaldo was banned from football for one year as a punishment and publicly announced that he would waive his right to the Belfort Duarte Prize.
Death
Everaldo died on October 27, 1974 as a result of a car accident. His Dodge Dart, which he had received from a dealer in Porto Alegre after winning the 1970 World Cup, collided with a truck. In the accident, his wife Cleci, his sister Romilda and their daughter Deise also died. He was buried few days in Cachoeira do Sul after the crash.