Dedicated to Nico
was a soccer field in the suburbs, small and having very bad. The doors were made of piles of rusted metal in several places, and the networks were full of holes, both. Practically there was no grass, if not along the side lines, where, however, was yellow and dry, it could benefit from a bit 'of water when it rained. The chalk lines practically did not exist, as well as the penalty spot. There was only a small staircase made with tubes Innocenti, they too rusty, and old wooden planks, on which the few spectators (when there were spectators) could sit down.
was an evening light, with a beautiful full moon, which made it visible all the details. At one point, in absolute silence, he saw an elderly man entering the camp, slowly. It was not well developed, was slightly hunched and almost dragged behind the left leg. In his youth must have been a nice guy, tall and strong, but at that moment, with a considerable burden on the shoulders of years, it was almost worth it. At one point he stopped, as if to sniff the air, and pulled up to his full height. The face of dark mulatto, wrinkled, tired eyes looking at something in front of him, taken immediately to walk a step behind the other, hard. He came under a door and looked at her with meticulous attention. The pole of the right to left, cross, networking, online. With his right hand brushed against a pole, while two tears began to rigargli face. He continued to watch the door for a while ', heedless of tears. Then, slowly, he turned to the field. He kept his feet on what was supposed to be the hypothetical line of door, and leaned slightly forward, as if to receive a shot from an attacking opponent. He remained in that unnatural position for a while ', until it shook itself embarrassed when she saw a boy walking toward him. He was a boy about twenty-five, dark, little one, with two stout glasses sunglasses lenses by small and round, absurd in the evening. He dressed the Sixties, with a brightly colored shirt and a pair of flared trousers. Came before him, and smiled: "Good evening
" Good evening to you, kid
"Great night, eh? Ideal for two to kick the ball "
" Yeah ... "
Only then he noticed that the old man was crying, he saw two tears wetting her face full of wrinkles does not mean you try to hide.
"What is it, sir? May I ask why she is crying? In an evening so you should not cry '
The other came up, gird your back with one arm, "Come, let us sit there, on the steps. So I can tell you '
The boy was happy to help and they set forth towards the wooden planks, leaving that to be asserted him. Once there, the old man sat on a board with great effort and began to speak slowly: "You know, since I came here is the first time I've been on a football field. I do not know why we have come "
" She was a player, right? "
His face appeared a sad smile," Boy, I'm Moacyr Barbosa, I was goalkeeper of the Brazilian national team for many years. Up to that bloody July 16, 1950. Since then, you know what have I become? "
The other shook his head.
"Since then I am" The man who did cry all over Brazil. " Do you really want to hear my story? "
The boy nodded with conviction.
"I, in my youth, I was a goalie, a great, great goalkeeper. I was good, damn if I was. Think I was the first number one color for the National and I was loved by everyone, from fans of my club, Vasco da Gama, both those opponents. In 1950, Brazil organized the World Championships, and our national team was very strong, the strongest of all. Those were the 'our' Championships, it was unthinkable that anyone could beat us. We reached the last match, against Uruguay, and a draw would be enough for us to become world champions. I still remember that day, the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. The stadium was full, there have been two hundred thousand people, all for us all to support our national team. You've never played in front of two hundred thousand fans all for you? "
" No, never, "
" So you can never understand what it feels like. Imagine all the sensations that a person can experience in his life, the proof there, at that time, all together, multiplied, exaggerated ... In short, I'll do shortly. In the first half we played aggressively, they passed almost forty-five minutes to defend himself. Then, start the second half, one of our signs. Two hundred thousand people became one person, a kind a huge monster, screaming, crying, laughing, cursing .... Then the game resumed. They equalized almost immediately, but it did not matter, with the balance we would have won us the cup. Towards the end of the game, no more than eight, ten minutes from time, the world collapsed. Ghiggia, their right wing, entered the area, arrived almost at the bottom. I thought it would of crossing the center and took a step forward. But he pulled into port and succeeded in getting the ball on my post, what I was supposed to cover. But he was good, you know, he was to score a great goal, I did not make a mistake! I was a great goalkeeper, I think?, I was really good, and no one else would be able to stop that shooting, I believe? ".
The old man, his voice breaking with tears, tried to cover her face with her trembling hands.
The boy approached him, put her hand on his shoulder and tried to speak with as much gentleness he could: "Yes, Barbosa, believe her. I swear that I believe "
The old man was a bit 'calmed down, and spoke again:" But the whole country blamed me. I became "The man who did cry all over Brazil, and from that day I became an outcast, an untouchable. Supporters of the Vasco da Gama I turned away, as opponents began to insult and make fun of me. I continued to play for a few more years, then stopped. To survive, I look to the sports center of Vasco, and the rest of my days I brought the brand stamped on my skin, the mark of the perpetrator. Think about that when, in 1994, along with other old stars of Brazilian football, I went to the withdrawal of nationality was leaving for the World Cup, I do not have to enter! The others, not me! Because I was the plague, one that would bring bad luck and disgrace to the team! That was the last stab I got. I died in 2000, and just as poor as a dog. Here, boy, now you know the story of Moacyr Barbosa ... "
had fallen silent on that football field. He felt only his breath breath of the old, the young and the more regular. He, however, suddenly, like a bee sting, he stood up happily, "Hey, Barbosa, does not believe that now is the time to put things right?," He said with a toothy smile . But the old man did not understand, and looked at him inquiringly.
"Do you believe you have been the victim of a terrible injustice, right? Do you believe you have been one of the greatest goalies in history, right? "
nodded.
"Well, it's time to prove it!"
"How? Look, you're sure to feel good? "
"Never been better. I now call friends here, she gets in the door and pour our shots "
She looked at him incredulously:" To you missing a wheel, my boy ... By the way, what's your name? "
" I? Gigi Meroni. Then, Barbosa, done deal? "
" You're crazy. Can not you see how low? I stand with difficulty, and you would get in the door? "
Meroni smiled:" A great goalkeeper, as well as a great striker, it is always great. Barbosa, although what it claims, she was the strongest of all, well, 'it is not the physical, has a passion. If she is really good as he says, can make huge parades here, now! "
stood looking at him in disbelief. Then, surprising even himself, smiled a sweet smile but also headstrong, "Okay, I accept"
Meroni did not need to repeat twice: "Excellent! Now I call friends: Hey, come soon! "
the darkness appeared three smiling boys, who came running.
"Well, Barbosa, allow these these gentlemen. Mathias Sindelar, already great striker of the Austrian national team of the thirties, my colleague who will attack ... "and a blond guy with the slicked hair combed waved back smiling to Barbosa.
"Mark Jones, at the time of the Manchester United stopper, until the damn plane crash in Monaco in 1958," and the person, a big man also made him a gigantic nod to Barbosa, "and finally, Gaetano Scirea, world champion with 'Italy in the 1982'
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Barbosa," said Scirea.
Barbosa looked at everyone in turn, almost in disbelief, not knowing what to say or do. But now Meroni shots into his own hands: "Then you attack the defense, and I Sindelar against Jones and Scirea, with Barbosa on goal. Let us go forward until Moacyr Barbosa does not show that he was right, calling a great goalkeeper, or until they arise. We agree?
absent, and were preparing for the odd game when Barbosa stopped them: "No, guys, no! Missing something fundamental "
Everyone looked disappointed.
"There are those who spread the results. What good do we do then, if no one will know? I'll play only if there is someone who can then proclaim to the world that Moacyr Barbosa was a really great goalie, the biggest of all! "
" Right, "said Scirea" We need a reporter. But who are, now, here? "
The five looked around worried, until he saw, sitting on top of the stairs, a man. About forty, a face of an old guy and some white thread in her hair. Meroni not wait any longer, "Hey you?"
The man looked at him in surprise: "Me?"
"Yes, you! Are you by chance a writer or a journalist? "What
smiled:" No ... Let's say that I like to write "
" You come here a moment? "
The man came down the stairs and joined the group.
"What's your name?" Asked Sindelar
"Piero Cavallotti," said
"And may I ask what are you doing here? You seem very much alive and in good health, "put in Meroni.
That was a bit 'embarrassed, "Well, gentlemen ... it just so happens that I'm writing a story about the World Championships in football, and I arrived almost at the bottom. Just ... "
" Only that? "Jones urged the
" Only I can not! "The man blurted out," But you saw them?! You've seen your colleagues today?! How do you collect a few stories of passion from them?! From people using colored shoes to please the sponsors?! She, Jones'
"Yes?" Said the Englishman
"If they had offered to play with shoes of gold, or white, or red, what would you say?"
"Me?" Said Jones enjoyed "I, as a minimum I would have stuck to the wall! "
" Yeah ... And you saw how to comb their hair? The hairstyle is imposed by the sponsors! She, Meroni "Meroni said nothing, but smiled in amusement, already knowing where he wanted to get" you, Gigi Meroni, had an argument with the coach of the national team because he wanted you cut your hair, right? It also wanted to play in the National uncut right? "
Meroni kept nodding fun.
"What would one say if the sponsor had ordered to cut his hair like a Mohican, or brush, or with a tuft at the top like ostrich?"
"I called Jones because he attacked the wall with the other," At that
Scirea point interjected: "We understand, no longer want to write about the World Cup. But then why are you here? "
" Because here I can dream, guys! I have read of dell'astuzia Sindelar, strength overflowing with Jones, the applied calcium from Meroni, I saw the elegance, inside and outside the field of Scirea, I have suffered, reading, the tragedy of Barbosa ... Guys, keep me here with you, please. I prefer to dream with you, rather than talking about that reality! Whatever you must do, please, keep me here to dream with you! "
Barbosa, who until then had been limited to listening, intervened:" You write for those, boy? "
" For whom do I write? For whom is my friend. For a group of nerds like me, a bit romantic dreamers' in later years who support a weak team that always loses but gets excited to see the colors rossoblù of that team that gets excited for a nice play for a extraordinary parade, which will excite to smell the grass of the field, the choruses of the fans ... "
" Okay, is more than enough for me, "interrupted Barbosa.
"Boy, you're willing to tell what you see now, to tell your friends and excited with them? Are you willing to tell your friends that Barbosa Moacyr Barbosa was a great goalie, the biggest of them all? "
" It will be a pleasure and an honor for me, Mr. Barbosa, "
" Well, then we can begin. Keep your eyes wide open, boy! "
The reporter sat down on the axis of the stairs closest to the field, while the other five they prepared to start the odd game of defense against attack.
came a ball, as they used to be: dark brown, with the seams, and the game began.
Meroni picked it up with the right, Jones tried to overcome with a fake, but that there fell and rejected. Then came the turn of Sindelar, who tried to speed Scirea go away, but the elegant defender with the intervention took the ball from the feet. He went on like this for a while '. Meroni Sindelar and tried some delicious play, dribbling, passing on the fly, shooting speed, but every time he came to shooting, or the physical presence of Jones, ol'eleganza of Scirea turned into an impenetrable wall. Barbosa had not yet been called to any intervention, but that did not mind. The show which was witnessing was something magical. As for the reporter, watched those developments open mouth and heart that sometimes seemed uscirgli chest.
But then at some point it happened.
Meroni flew away to the right, entered the area, and overcame evil with a tunnel that Mark Jones had made the meeting. Once free from the marker, the bottom line, brush a cross in the center. The ball was high, and left Scirea Sindelar, who had his back to goal. But the Austrian surprises everyone with a lightness and grace of a dancer in the air and kicked the ball arched overhead kick, before the eyes of 'stunned Scirea. Barbosa then saw the ball was entering the seven on his left and thought to himself: "Behold, I knew. No, there will I ever. Who knows, maybe they were right .... " But at the same time that he thought the words of surrender, he felt within himself the forces that for years had left him to walk back his muscles at the speed of light, she felt her legs becoming weak in two spring loaded, and saw himself projected to that ball just under the crossbar with his left hand and dismiss it. They fell together, he and the ball, just when Gigi Meroni intervened right, pushing toward the opposite pole. But Barbosa had yet two springs instead of legs, managed to shoot from the ground and jump back, grab the ball and squeeze him, gasping, amazed at himself and what he had just done. Then, with the utmost slowness, stood up, leaning on the pole, and looked at the others: he was exhausted. An eerie silence had descended on that pitch in the suburbs. Barbosa was too exhausted to smile, but the other did so in his place. There was no need any more: the smile of Meroni of Sindelar, of Jones, Scirea was the only true verdict.
"Well, my friends," said Mero, "I would say that's all. At this point we can go, "
Barbosa was still there leaning against the pole, gasping, clutching that ball to his chest as if he were now part of his body. The four players, one by one, came to him: 'Congratulations, Moacyr, "he said shaking his hand Scirea
" Great speech, Barbosa, "confirmed Jones giving him a pat on the back, and making him almost fall.
"Mr. Barbosa was a pleasure," smiled Sindelar. Then came
Gigi Meroni, and only managed to speak with him Barbosa, 'Well, boy, you must have been living in a completely insane. But I'm sure you made many people happy as you just did with me. Thank you, "Meroni
looked at him, gave him a little pat on the shoulder, and went along with the other three.
He had been there only the poor reporter, his mouth open and his heart pounding, unable to move and speak. The doorman saw him, he broke away from the pole, gave him a smile, accompanied by a weary wave of his hand. It was beautiful, man, at that moment, the face of old age, weariness, the torment that had accompanied him since that July 16, 1950. He had a strange satisfaction, but also of pride, that pride which had stepped in life, and had found there, on the outskirts of this absurd pitch, balding and impractical. He made another nod to the reporter and gave him his back, walking slowly, but always keeping the ball well close to his chest.
"Hey, Barbosa,"
The old man was already far away, and turned.
"A parade usually can only do a great goalkeeper. You were right: you were a great goalkeeper, indeed, the greatest! "
" I always knew. Please, tell your friends, and I want him knowing it. Moacyr Barbosa was the biggest of goalkeepers! Hello, boy! "
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