Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna tragically passed away on this day 30 years ago in an accident during the San Marino Grand Prix. 11 days before that, the iconic driver was invited to a friendly between the Brazilian national football team against a team made up of PSG and Bordeaux players.
“His accident was devastating for the whole of Brazil,” Taffarel told FIFA.com. “When he died, we all said, ‘Let’s go out and win this World Cup for Ayrton Senna.’”
That visit turned out to be the inspiration the Seleção needed to end a 24-year drought and win a highly desired fourth World Cup title in USA 1994.
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“Ayrton Senna was an idol for everyone in Brazil,” added the legendary goalkeeper. “He was a huge patriot, a great sportsman and a great person. We were preparing to attempt to become four-time world champions, and he was attempting to become a four-time world champion at Formula One.
“I couldn’t tell you a single thing about the game against Paris Saint-Germain; the only thing I remember is meeting Ayrton Senna! Senna was a really cool, one-of-a-kind guy. He was so charismatic yet so humble. He walked into our hotel – no posing like celebrities do, no security around him, no fuss – and you would have thought he was just a regular guy.
🇧🇷 Inmortal. ⭐⭐⭐🌟#Senna30 | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/cOQGJ0D4c1
— Copa Mundial FIFA 🏆 (@fifaworldcup_es) May 1, 2024
“Funnily enough, he was convinced that one of us – he wasn’t sure if it would be him or us – would become four-time world champions. He had some really inspiring words for us. I think the spirit that we had in ’94, we got it from Ayrton.”
Bebeto also emphasized on the impact Senna had on the team that eventually beat Italy on penalties in an epic final in Pasadena: “Everybody loved Ayrton. It was remarkable. It’s hard to even describe how devastated all Brazilians were when he died. We said between us, ‘We simply have to win this World Cup and dedicate it to Ayrton.”
Rai, another member of the 1994 World Cup-winning team, added: “Ayrton was the symbol of our squad during that World Cup,” said Rai. “He inspired us all and we were very happy to pay homage to him with that banner.”
Zagallo documentary by Sambafoot
Sambafoot Series has launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo’ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays – as a player and as a coach. The first episodes are available in Sambafoot’s Youtube channel and the series will receive weekly releases to tell this legend’s life story.
