Moacyr Barbosa do Nascimento is considered the greatest goalkeeper in Vasco’s history. But the plot could have been different. He counted on the luck of the position holder to win the spot in 1945. The target owner was Rodrigues, who left the club that year after winning the lottery.
The story is really curious.
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Son of Spaniards, Gabriel Rodriguez – “Portuguese” name for Rodrigues – arrived at Vasco in 1945, hired from Comercial, from Ribeirão Preto-SP. He was born in the Belenzinho neighborhood, in São Paulo, on September 3, 1915.
Rodrigues began his career in 1935 at Clube Atlético Paulista, formerly Antarctica. The following season he went to Portuguesa-SP, a team he played for until 1942. In 1938 he aroused interest from Fluminense.
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At the age of 30, the goalkeeper took over Vasco’s starting role from the fifth round of the Campeonato Carioca, in August 1945. And he never left. From then on, he played twelve games as a starter until the end of the competition in November, helping the club win the title undefeated. He conceded an average of 0.8 goals per match.
It was the first title for the team that became known as “Expresso da Vitória”. A reserve, Barbosa also arrived at Vasco in 1945, in January, but was unable to find a place that season. The determining factor for the idol goalkeeper to gain space was the luck that Rodrigues also had off the field.
The month after winning the title, Rodrigues went on vacation to Caxambu, in the interior of Minas Gerais. There he bought a Federal Lottery ticket and was awarded 200,000 cruises, a good amount of money at the time. No longer needing football to live, the goalkeeper decided to leave Vasco and return to São Paulo.
But the decision to give up football was soon reconsidered. On February 24, 1946, Rodrigues debuted for Palmeiras and played for the club until 1948, when he retired for good.
Without Rodrigues, Vasco promoted Barbosa’s debut in 1946. He took over as starter and became one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of Brazilian football. In his time, the main thing.
Barbosa played 431 games for Vasco, with 282 wins, 74 draws and 75 defeats. The goalkeeper became the club’s most decorated player. He won 15 titles, including his two spells, the first, from 1945-1955, and the second, from 1958-1960. Check them all out below:
- South American Championship of Champions: 1948 (America’s first champion)
- Rio International Quadrangular: 1953
- Chile International Tournament: 1953
- Rio-São Paulo Tournament: 1958
- Carioca Championship: [1945(undefeated)1947(undefeated)1949(undefeated)1950(firstCariocaMaracanãChampion)1952and1958(Superchampion)
- Municipal Tournament: 1946 and 1947
- Lightning Tournament: 1946
- Tournament Start: 1948 and 1958
Barbosa’s quality took him to the Brazilian team, where he played in 22 games, with 16 wins, two draws and four defeats. The most significant title was the South American National Team Championship (currently Copa América), in 1949. It had been 26 years since Brazil had won the main football competition in South America.
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Tags: Goalkeeper Day Barbosa Vasco player left club winning lottery Vasco
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