SOCCER PLAYER
Zizinho
1921 - 2002

Zizinho
Thomaz Soares da Silva, also known as Zizinho (Portuguese pronunciation: [ziˈzĩɲu]; 14 September 1921 – 8 February 2002), was a Brazilian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder for the Brazil national football team. He came to international prominence at the 1950 World Cup, where he scored two goals. He was lauded as a complete player, with an array of offensive skills such as his dribbling, passing, and shooting ability with both feet, as well as his accuracy from dead ball situations and extraordinary vision. He was Pelé's idol, and is often considered one of the best Brazilian men's footballers of the pre-Pelé era. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Zizinho is the 185th most popular soccer player (up from 212th in 2019), the 65th most popular biography from Brazil (up from 67th in 2019) and the 33rd most popular Brazilian Soccer Player.
Zizinho is most famous for his time with the Brazilian national team, where he was a key player on the 1958 and 1962 World Cup teams.
Memorability Metrics
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Among SOCCER PLAYERS
Among soccer players, Zizinho ranks 185 out of 21,273. Before him are Luis Monti, Teiichi Matsumaru, Denis Law, Thierry Henry, Gérson, and Hiroto Muraoka. After him are René Higuita, Laurent Blanc, Ruud Krol, Edwin van der Sar, Carlos Valderrama, and Yasuo Suzuki.
Most Popular Soccer Players in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsLuis Monti
1901 - 1983
HPI: 68.86
Rank: 182
Teiichi Matsumaru
1909 - 1997
HPI: 68.85
Rank: 183
Denis Law
1940 - 2025
HPI: 68.84
Rank: 184
Thierry Henry
1977 - Present
HPI: 68.81
Rank: 185
Gérson
1941 - Present
HPI: 68.80
Rank: 186
Hiroto Muraoka
1931 - 2017
HPI: 68.76
Rank: 187
Zizinho
1921 - 2002
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 188
René Higuita
1966 - Present
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 189
Laurent Blanc
1965 - Present
HPI: 68.73
Rank: 190
Ruud Krol
1949 - Present
HPI: 68.71
Rank: 191
Edwin van der Sar
1970 - Present
HPI: 68.70
Rank: 192
Carlos Valderrama
1961 - Present
HPI: 68.69
Rank: 193
Yasuo Suzuki
1913 - 2000
HPI: 68.66
Rank: 194
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1921, Zizinho ranks 62. Before him are Telmo Zarra, Zdeněk Miler, Geoffrey Wilkinson, Harald Quandt, Nexhmije Hoxha, and Dobrica Ćosić. After him are Giuseppe Di Stefano, Kurt Knispel, György Cziffra, Edgar Morin, Akio Morita, and Mary Jackson. Among people deceased in 2002, Zizinho ranks 39. Before him are Geraldine of Albania, Choi Hong Hi, Robert Nozick, Juan Alberto Schiaffino, James Tobin, and Jonas Savimbi. After him are William Luther Pierce, Abu Nidal, Xi Zhongxun, John Cocke, Ne Win, and Yoshio Okada.
Others Born in 1921
Go to all RankingsTelmo Zarra
SOCCER PLAYER
1921 - 2006
HPI: 69.01
Rank: 56
Zdeněk Miler
COMIC ARTIST
1921 - 2011
HPI: 68.99
Rank: 57
Geoffrey Wilkinson
CHEMIST
1921 - 1996
HPI: 68.92
Rank: 58
Harald Quandt
POLITICIAN
1921 - 1967
HPI: 68.81
Rank: 59
Nexhmije Hoxha
POLITICIAN
1921 - 2020
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 60
Dobrica Ćosić
WRITER
1921 - 2014
HPI: 68.78
Rank: 61
Zizinho
SOCCER PLAYER
1921 - 2002
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 62
Giuseppe Di Stefano
SINGER
1921 - 2008
HPI: 68.71
Rank: 63
Kurt Knispel
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1921 - 1945
HPI: 68.70
Rank: 64
György Cziffra
MUSICIAN
1921 - 1994
HPI: 68.70
Rank: 65
Edgar Morin
PHILOSOPHER
1921 - Present
HPI: 68.66
Rank: 66
Akio Morita
BUSINESSPERSON
1921 - 1999
HPI: 68.45
Rank: 67
Mary Jackson
MATHEMATICIAN
1921 - 2005
HPI: 68.42
Rank: 68
Others Deceased in 2002
Go to all RankingsGeraldine of Albania
COMPANION
1915 - 2002
HPI: 69.95
Rank: 33
Choi Hong Hi
MARTIAL ARTS
1918 - 2002
HPI: 69.80
Rank: 34
Robert Nozick
PHILOSOPHER
1938 - 2002
HPI: 69.33
Rank: 35
Juan Alberto Schiaffino
SOCCER PLAYER
1925 - 2002
HPI: 69.24
Rank: 36
James Tobin
ECONOMIST
1918 - 2002
HPI: 69.22
Rank: 37
Jonas Savimbi
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1934 - 2002
HPI: 69.06
Rank: 38
Zizinho
SOCCER PLAYER
1921 - 2002
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 39
William Luther Pierce
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1933 - 2002
HPI: 68.65
Rank: 40
Abu Nidal
EXTREMIST
1937 - 2002
HPI: 68.58
Rank: 41
Xi Zhongxun
POLITICIAN
1913 - 2002
HPI: 68.41
Rank: 42
John Cocke
COMPUTER SCIENTIST
1925 - 2002
HPI: 68.32
Rank: 43
Ne Win
POLITICIAN
1910 - 2002
HPI: 68.25
Rank: 44
Yoshio Okada
SOCCER PLAYER
1926 - 2002
HPI: 68.00
Rank: 45
In Brazil
Among people born in Brazil, Zizinho ranks 65 out of 2,236. Before him are Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco (1897), João Goulart (1918), Pepe (1983), Deodoro da Fonseca (1827), Anita Garibaldi (1821), and Gérson (1941). After him are Carlos Ghosn (1954), Roberto Carlos (1941), Caetano Veloso (1942), Tancredo Neves (1910), Gilberto Gil (1942), and Dani Alves (1983).
Others born in Brazil
Go to all RankingsHumberto de Alencar Castelo Branco
POLITICIAN
1897 - 1967
HPI: 69.35
Rank: 59
João Goulart
POLITICIAN
1918 - 1976
HPI: 69.32
Rank: 60
Pepe
SOCCER PLAYER
1983 - Present
HPI: 69.08
Rank: 61
Deodoro da Fonseca
POLITICIAN
1827 - 1892
HPI: 68.92
Rank: 62
Anita Garibaldi
POLITICIAN
1821 - 1849
HPI: 68.91
Rank: 63
Gérson
SOCCER PLAYER
1941 - Present
HPI: 68.80
Rank: 64
Zizinho
SOCCER PLAYER
1921 - 2002
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 65
Carlos Ghosn
BUSINESSPERSON
1954 - Present
HPI: 68.72
Rank: 66
Roberto Carlos
SINGER
1941 - Present
HPI: 68.53
Rank: 67
Caetano Veloso
MUSICIAN
1942 - Present
HPI: 68.24
Rank: 68
Tancredo Neves
POLITICIAN
1910 - 1985
HPI: 67.93
Rank: 69
Gilberto Gil
MUSICIAN
1942 - Present
HPI: 67.91
Rank: 70
Dani Alves
SOCCER PLAYER
1983 - Present
HPI: 67.79
Rank: 71
Among SOCCER PLAYERS In Brazil
Among soccer players born in Brazil, Zizinho ranks 33. Before him are Tostão (1947), Ademir de Menezes (1922), Paulo Roberto Falcão (1953), Leônidas (1913), Pepe (1983), and Gérson (1941). After him are Dani Alves (1983), Jair da Costa (1940), Careca (1960), Marcelo (1988), Dida (1973), and Adriano (1982).
Tostão
1947 - Present
HPI: 69.64
Rank: 27
Ademir de Menezes
1922 - 1996
HPI: 69.59
Rank: 28
Paulo Roberto Falcão
1953 - Present
HPI: 69.53
Rank: 29
Leônidas
1913 - 2004
HPI: 69.40
Rank: 30
Pepe
1983 - Present
HPI: 69.08
Rank: 31
Gérson
1941 - Present
HPI: 68.80
Rank: 32
Zizinho
1921 - 2002
HPI: 68.74
Rank: 33
Dani Alves
1983 - Present
HPI: 67.79
Rank: 34
Jair da Costa
1940 - 2025
HPI: 67.21
Rank: 35
Careca
1960 - Present
HPI: 67.18
Rank: 36
Marcelo
1988 - Present
HPI: 67.09
Rank: 37
Dida
1973 - Present
HPI: 67.03
Rank: 38
Adriano
1982 - Present
HPI: 66.82
Rank: 39