Jair da Costa: Football "legend" and World Cup winner dies age 84 as emotional tributes paid

Playing alongside the likes of Pele and Garrincha, Jair da Costa was part of a Brazil squad that dominated the tournament, beating Czechoslovakia 3-1 in the final. The Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed his death on Saturday, April 26 without elaboration.

But tributes have been paid by Inter Milan, where da Costa enjoyed a superb spell in the 1960s. The winger Alfredo Di Stefano’s Real Madrid to the European Cup in 1963, then a Eusebio-led Benfica side the following year, with the Brazilian scoring the only goal of the final at the San Siro. He also won four Serie A titles with Inter, scoring 53 goals in the process.

A spokesperson for the club said: “Jair da Costa - just the name itself whispers of a bygone era, a time when football possessed a certain romanticism, a rugged elegance that feels almost mythical now. To speak of him is to conjure images in black and white, yet the vibrancy of his play, the sheer audacity of his talent, bursts forth in glorious technicolor in the mind's eye

“The news of his passing lands like a heavy silence after a roaring chorus, a profound sense of loss that echoes through the hallowed halls of the San Siro and the hearts of every true Interista. He wasn't just a player; he was a force of nature unleashed on the right flank. Picture him, if you will, a whirlwind of motion, his slight frame belying a strength and a will that could carve open the most stubborn of defences.

“He possessed that rare gift, the ability to ignite a game with a single burst of acceleration, leaving bewildered defenders trailing in his wake, their hopes and formations shredded by his blistering pace.

“The silence that follows his passing is a poignant one, a moment for reflection on a career that illuminated the San Siro for so many years. It is a time to remember the electrifying runs, the perfectly weighted crosses, the unwavering commitment to the Nerazzurro cause. Jair da Costa, a true Interista, a legend of the Grande Inter, has left the pitch for the final time.

“But the echoes of his brilliance will continue to reverberate through the hearts of all who witnessed his magic.”

After a brief stint at Roma, da Costa returned to Inter Milan for four years before heading home to Brazil, where he had first burst onto the scene. Playing for Pele’s club Santos, he won the Sao Paulo state championship in 1973, and was at Canada’s Windsor Star in 1976 when he hung up his boots for good.