Jairzinho Reflects on World Cup Goal Scorers, Recalls Favelas Incident

Brazilian football icon Jairzinho, renowned for his scoring feats in the 1970 World Cup, has spoken about a personal project aimed at capturing portraits of all players who have managed to score in a World Cup final. He noted the exclusive nature of this club, with only 58 individuals achieving the feat, and the sobering fact that many are no longer alive.

The initial idea, conceived in 2007, proved to be a significant logistical and financial challenge. Jairzinho realised that solely relying on book sales wouldn't cover the costs, especially as most of the targeted players resided in Europe and South America, with only a handful in England. The project eventually gained traction when a film producer saw its potential, leading to a documentary crew accompanying Jairzinho across 13 countries.

Over a four-year period, the crew meticulously interviewed and photographed each member of this elite group of World Cup final goal scorers. However, this pursuit of capturing football history wasn't without its dangers. Jairzinho shared a disturbing account from his work with young people in Rio's favelas, where a request for a few extra minutes of activity led to a tense confrontation when a gunman threatened his crew.