Yes, many will say that Ademir de Menezes failed when Brazil needed him most: in the last game of the 1950 World Cup. They may be right, but it is also true that Vasco da Gama’s center forward established himself as the tournament’s top scorer and he was also one of the great figures of the runner-up.
Ademir, like all of Brazil, suffered a fateful afternoon on July 16 at the Maracana stadium. After converting in almost all the games of the championship, he drew a blank against Uruguay and then saw from very close how the Charrúas kept the trophy that the local team had almost won.
Ademir, in the Brazilian training Getty Images
«Queixada» He converted eight goals in the six games played and won the title of top scorer, something that only served as consolation after the defeat in the decisive match. Thanks to his power and his very strong shot, the Brazilian center-forward earned everyone’s praise after the first five presentations of the host team.
In the first match of the Cup, against Mexico, Ademir scored the first goal for his National Team, 30 minutes into the initial stage. Then, he closed the final 4-0 with 11 minutes left to go. Despite the rout, Brazil did not satisfy the critics in that first game and even less so in the second, when they only tied 2-2 against Switzerland, a rival that the gunner could not score against.
2 Related
On matchday three Ademir returned to his best level and after 4 minutes of play he opened the scoring against Yugoslavia. That day, the locals would win 2-0 at the Maracana stadium and secure their qualification for the final phase.
On July 9, the great scorer played his perfect match, the one he had dreamed of all his life since his debut at Sport Recife in 1939. The Brazilians humiliated Sweden 7-1 and Ademir scored four goals, two in the first half and two in the second. That brand meant a record in the World Cups.
Four days later Brazil returned to experience a festival of goals. The 6-1 over Spain left them one step away from the world title. In that match, Ademir scored the fifth goal. After the extraordinary wins over the Swedes and Spaniards, no one doubted that the hosts would win the Jules Rimet Cup. However, destiny wanted La Celeste to win their second World Cup and not even the great Ademir could prevent it.