Wilson Piazza

Wilson da Silva Piazza was born in Ribeirão das Neves, Minas Gerais. He began his professional career at Renascença in 1962 and, two years later, transferred to Cruzeiro, the club where he would play for 14 seasons, between 1964 and 1978, becoming one of their greatest idols and team captain. Naturally playing as a midfielder, Piazza was called up by Zagallo for the 1970 World Cup, in Mexico, where he was improvised in defense alongside Brito. The position change proved correct: Piazza was a starter in all matches of the campaign that resulted in Brazil's third world championship. Four years later, he played in the 1974 World Cup, in Germany, playing as a starter and captain of the Brazilian national team in the first phase of the competition. In total, he wore the Brazilian national team shirt 51 times between 1967 and 1975. With Cruzeiro, he won the Brazil Cup of 1966, the Copa Libertadores of 1976 and several Minas Gerais state titles. He ended his career in 1978 and later dedicated himself to political life in Belo Horizonte, having served as a city councilman for four terms and municipal sports secretary.