The creative sixties and seventies

In times of footballing euphoria, many important football players have been the inspiration for a real squad of musical composers.

Jorge Benjor, How Wonderful
Very few people in the music world have so much familiarity with the football universe, to the point of understanding the musical rhythm in the very body of the player. The composer to have made most songs about football, the real Champion, is singer and composer Jorge Benjor.

Back in the 1960s, Jorge Ben really wanted to be a football player and played quite well. However, music, which was originally a secondary interest, took over, until it became more important than Sport. His list of successes include Deixa o Menino Brincar (Let the Boy Play - 1965), País Tropical (Tropical Country - 1966), Fio Maravilha (Wondrous Fio - 1972), Camisa 10 da Gávea (Number Ten Shirt of Flamengo - 1976). Who among us has never started singing those famous words: “Fio Maravilha / Nós gostamos de você” (Wondrous Fio / We like you) - honouringhonoring a player who was not even famous or one of the best. He also made other songs such as Cadê o Pênalti (Where is the Penalty) which the band Skank later re-recorded, as well as “Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)” (African Midfielder Umbabarauma), Zagueiro (Defender), Goleiro - Eu Vou lhe Avisar (Goalkeeper - I’ll let you know), which Gal Costa also recorded, Roberto Corta Essa (Robert Block This One) and O Nome do Rei é Pelé (The Name of the King is Pelé).

Listen to the songs:
* Camisa 10 da Gávea
* Cadê o Pênalti?
* Cuidado com o bulldog
. Fio Maravilha
. Flamengo
. Goleiro
. O Nome do Rei é Pelé
. Ponta de Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)
. Roberto Corta Essa
. Zagueiro

My dear friend Afonsinho
Gilberto Gil could have said to Jorge Benjor: “To score a goal in this game is not easy, buddy”. The song Meio de Campo (Midfield), of 1973, was composed by Gilberto Gil in honourhonor of Afonsinho, who played for Botafogo, and became famous in the voice of Elis Regina. Famous for being one of the first players to rebel against the situation of football players in those days, Afonsinho stood firm and managed to get the players’ right to a free transfer, which did not exist until then.

Listen to the songs:
. Balé Da Bola (1998 World Cup)
. Meio de Campo

Novos Baianos Football Club
From the 1970s came the most football-involved band in history, with football even appearing in the name of the band. Galvão and Moraes Moreira composed the song Só se Não For Brasileiro Nesta Hora (Only if you are not Brazilian at this time) which starts thus: “Desde lá, quando me furaram a primeira bola no meio da rua...” (Since then, when they burst my first football in the middle of the street...)

Listen to the songs:
. Praga de baiano
. Reis da Bola
. Ziriguidum

Football, by Chico Buarque
Another music composer passionate about football, to the point of forming his own team, Politheama, to play with his friends, is singer and composer Chico Buarque. In this song, the Fluminense supporter who plays in Santos’ number nine shirt honours the idols of his youth: Garrincha, Didi, Pagão, Pelé and Canhoteiro.

Listen to the song:
. O futebol