Who Was the First Player to Win the World Cup as Player and Manager?

Spoiler: It’s a Brazilian Legend You Might Not Know Well

Okay, so when people talk World Cup history, names like Pelé, Maradona, Zidane usually steal the spotlight. But if you’re asking who was the first to win the World Cup both as a player and as a manager, well… it's not any of those guys.

The real answer? Mário Zagallo.
Yeah — if you're thinking “wait, who?”, you're not alone. I had that same reaction when I first heard the name. But man, this guy’s legacy is wild.

I only found out about him during a football trivia night (shoutout to my friend Diego who totally embarrassed me with this question). Since then, I’ve kinda gone down the Zagallo rabbit hole.

Zagallo the Player: A Key Part of Brazil’s Golden Era

Two-time World Cup winner on the field

Zagallo was part of the legendary Brazilian teams that won the 1958 and 1962 World Cups. He wasn’t just a benchwarmer either — he was a left winger, known for his intelligence and insane work rate.

In the 1958 final, he even scored a goal. That team had Pelé, Garrincha, Didi… and Zagallo, the tireless link between defense and attack.

Honestly, he probably didn’t get the credit he deserved because Pelé was just stealing every headline back then (and fair enough, the guy was magic).

Zagallo the Manager: Genius Behind the Scenes

1970: Coaching the greatest team ever?

Fast forward to 1970 — Pelé’s final World Cup — and guess who’s managing Brazil?

Yep. Mário freaking Zagallo.

And that Brazil 1970 squad? Most people still call it the greatest team of all time. (Seriously. I mean, watch highlights of that final vs. Italy. It’s football poetry.)

Zagallo was just 38 years old when he led that team to victory. Which is absolutely bonkers. That’s younger than a lot of today’s players.

He became the first person ever to win the World Cup as a player and as a manager.

And he didn’t stop there

This dude didn’t just vanish after ’70. He came back as assistant coach in 1994 (when Brazil won again) and then managed the team in the 1998 final (yep, the one they lost to France — still hurts).

So he’s been part of four World Cup-winning teams in different roles. That’s almost unreal.

Why This Record Actually Matters (Beyond Trivia)

It’s more than just a fun fact

When I first heard this stat, I thought, “Cool, random trivia.” But honestly, the more you learn about Zagallo, the more you realize how rare this is.

Winning the World Cup is already hard. Doing it as a player and a manager? That's next level. It means you understand the game on the field and from the bench — strategy, psychology, pressure, all of it.

It’s kind of like being a great actor and then directing an Oscar-winning film. Not many people can switch roles like that and still dominate.

Only a couple others have done it since

For the record, only two more people have joined this elite club since:

• Franz Beckenbauer (Germany): won as a player in 1974, as manager in 1990

• Didier Deschamps (France): won as a player in 1998, as manager in 2018

So yeah — Zagallo did it first. Trailblazer.

My Attempt at Explaining This at a Party… Went Badly

I actually tried to drop this nugget at a friend’s birthday BBQ. I was like, “Hey, did you know the first guy to win the World Cup as both player and manager was Brazilian?”
Blank stares.
Then someone said, “Was it Ronaldo?”
Pfff. I gave up.

Moral of the story: even the coolest football facts need the right audience

So, if you're ever wondering
who was the first player to win the World Cup as player and manager?
Now you know: Mário Zagallo.

Not just a football legend —
but a genius who understood the game from every angle.

And honestly? The guy deserves way more love than he gets.

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