Page "Brazil national football team" Paragraph 28

Telê Santana and several players of 1982 returned to play in the 1986 World Cup hosted by Mexico.

The players of 1986 were older but still capable of an enchanting performance.

They were troubled, however, by an injury Zico picked up before the World Cup.

Incessant questions about whether and when he could play undoubtedly had some negative effect on the team.

Brazil met France in the quarter-finals and the match is considered an absolute classic of " total football ".

Neither side deserved to lose but when Zico finally came on in the second half ( with the score 1 – 1 ), and Brazil were awarded a penalty late in the game, Brazil seemed set to win.

But Zico, the hero of a whole generation of Brazilian football fans, missed the penalty – and after a goalless but thoroughly exciting extra time it all came down to a penalty shoot out.

There Zico managed to score from his penalty but Júlio César da Silva and Sócrates missed the goal in their turn, and despite French captain Michel Platini sending his effort over the cross bar, Brazil nevertheless were eliminated 4 – 3.