Moacir Barbosa Nascimento - The 1950 Match and Its Aftermath

The 1950 Match and Its Aftermath

In 1950 Brazil played Uruguay in the decisive match of the World Cup finals at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil was heavily favoured to win, but despite scoring first, Brazil lost 2–1 when Alcides Ghiggia scored the winning goal for Uruguay in the 79th minute after skillfully dribbling past Brazilian defender Bigode and then drilling the ball into the net while Barbosa was out of position expecting a cross into the middle of the pitch. The loss stunned Brazilians and plunged the country into mourning, over what became known as the Maracanazo, or "the Maracana blow."

Barbosa was blamed for the defeat, for which he suffered for this for the rest of his life as the match became part of Brazilian folklore. In 2000, shortly before his death, he said in an interview: "The maximum punishment in Brazil is 30 years imprisonment, but I have been paying, for something I am not even responsible for, by now, for 50 years." In 1993, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, Ricardo Teixeira, did not allow him to be commentator during the broadcast of one of Brazil's international matches. He was also turned away from a Brazil training session on one occasion out of fear of his being a jinx for the team.

In 1963, Barbosa was presented with the old square wooden goalposts from the Maracanã as a present, which he took home and burned.