Amarildo (footballer, born 1939)
The dazzling understudy who seized his World Cup moment, filling Pelé's shoes to fire Brazil to a second straight title.
Born 1939 (age 87)·Brazilian footballer·Birthday: June 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
Amarildo's name is forever etched in World Cup lore for a single, pressure-soaked act of brilliance. In 1962, when the young, already-injured Pelé was ruled out of the tournament, the spotlight fell on the 23-year-old Flamengo forward, known for his pace and technical flair. Thrust into the knockout stages, he didn't just fill a gap; he became a star. He scored the winning goal in the quarterfinal against England and then netted twice in the semifinal against hosts Chile. In the final against Czechoslovakia, his deft assist helped secure Brazil's second consecutive world championship. Though his international career was relatively brief, that golden summer defined him. A skilled and inventive striker, he later had a successful club career in Italy with AC Milan and Fiorentina, but it is his unexpected, flawless performance on the world's biggest stage that remains his lasting football legacy.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Amarildo was born in 1939, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Amarildo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1939
#1 Movie
Gone with the Wind
Best Picture
Gone with the Wind
Amarildo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1939Born
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1944Started school
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1952Became a teenager
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Could drive
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1957Could vote
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Turned 21
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1969Turned 30
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 40
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 50
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 60
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 70
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 80
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 87 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored three crucial goals in the knockout stages of the 1962 FIFA World Cup after replacing the injured Pelé, helping Brazil win the title.
- Won the 1963 Serie A title and the 1963 European Cup with AC Milan.
- Earned 22 caps for the Brazilian national team between 1961 and 1966, scoring 8 goals.
Did You Know?
He is the last surviving player from the starting lineups of the 1962 World Cup final.
His full name is Amarildo Tavares da Silveira, but he is universally known simply as Amarildo.
He played for the famous Rio de Janeiro club Flamengo before moving to Italy.
“When Pelé was hurt, I knew the whole country was watching my feet.”
