Brazilian soccer legend Didi dies

Sao Paulo, Brazil - Former Brazilian soccer star Valdir Pereira, better known as Didi, died Saturday from multiple organ failure, according to local media reports. He was 72.

Pereira, who won World Cup medals with Brazil in 1958 and 1962, invented the "dry leaf" shot, which involved putting a spin on the ball to give the impression it was flying over the bar, but at the last moment it would drop into the goal like a dry leaf falling from a tree.

Pereira, who was recognized by Fifa last year as one of the greatest players of all time, made his mark in history by scoring the first goal at the inauguration of Brazil's giant Maracana stadium in Rio in 1950.

During his 18-year career, from 1945-63, Pereira played for eight different teams, including Brazilian teams Fluminense, Botafogo and Sao Paulo and Spanish giants Real Madrid.

After retiring as a player, Pereira took up coaching. In 1970, he led the Peruvian national team to its first World Cup finals in Mexico. He later coached River Plate in Argentina and Fenerbahce in Turkey, as well as several teams in Brazil.

Pereira had been interned in the Pedro Ernesto hospital in Rio for the past two weeks with intestinal and bladder problems.

Born October 8, 1929, in the city of Campos, 250km north of Rio de Janeiro, Pereira is survived by his wife, Guiomar Batista, daughters and brothers and sisters. - Sapa-AP