Kaiser by Rob Smyth

Author:Rob Smyth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House

CHAPTER 17

THE FRIEND OF DIEGO

Kaiser had plenty of parties to organise in 1989, when Botafogo reached the state championship final for the first time in fourteen years. As the victories mounted up, so did the number of superstitions. At a club built on history and mythology, such quirky beliefs were a comfort. Most of them came from Valdir Espinosa, the coach. Martha Esteves, a Flamengo fan who had to cover Botafogo for Placar magazine, occasionally asked Espinosa for a cigarette during games. He noticed that, every time she did so, Botafogo won, so for the rest of the season she was forced to chain-smoke within an inch of her arteries. Espinosa also wore the same clothes to every game – black trousers and a white t-shirt. ‘I think he had a few pairs,’ says Esteves. ‘I hope he did.’

Botafogo went unbeaten throughout both stages of the league system, with the winners of each qualifying for the final. A dramatic comeback from 3-1 to 3-3 against Flamengo ultimately meant they qualified for the final against … Flamengo.

It was an intimidating Flamengo side. Their starting XI included Zico and Renato Gaúcho, as well as four players who would start the World Cup final five years later – Bebeto, Zinho, Aldair and Jorginho – and another, Leonardo, who would have done so had he not been suspended.

The first leg, in the Maracanã, was a 0-0 draw. Botafogo had problems ahead of the second leg: Josimar was enduring a gruesome cocaine comedown, while the forward Maurício, Kaiser’s old friend from the club America, had a fever and a grotesque, infected boil on his leg. He could barely walk. Any useful medication would have violated doping tests, so the medical staff ruled him out of the second leg.

Espinosa, who had decided Maurício was another of his lucky charms, ignored medical advice and included him in the team. Maurício spent the first half chasing back after Leonardo. ‘I couldn’t hack it so at half-time I asked the coach to take me off,’ says Maurício. ‘He said, “Listen. I’m not taking you off. You’re special and you are going to score the winning goal.”’

After fifty-seven minutes he did just that, volleying Mazolinha’s left-wing cross into the net. The referee missed a sly push on Leonardo, which put him off balance and gave Maurício the space to score.

The goal against Flamengo didn’t just change Maurício’s life; it has defined it. Three decades later he still dines out on it, and often introduces himself by the name Maurício 89. ‘Botafogo was the greatest part of my life story,’ he says. ‘The goal gave me an amazing professional future. After that I went to play in Spain for Celta Vigo. Then I was called up to play in the World Cup qualifiers and I became Brazilian champion with Sport Club Internacional. Going back to the past gets me emotional and raises my self-esteem. Gosh, it’s so exciting. A boy raised in the favela who managed to overcome the obstacles in his life through sport.

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