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Giampiero Boniperti was the top scorer of the Italian championship and its brightest star.
    According to what people say, he was born backwards, kicking-foot first, and he began his voyage to soccer glory in the crib.
    The club Juventus paid him a cow for every goal.
    Altri tempi .

July 13
T HE G OAL OF THE C ENTURY
    On this day in the year 2002, organized soccer’s top brass announced the result of their global online poll, “Pick the goal of the century.”
    By a landslide, the winner was Diego Maradona’s in the 1986 World Cup, when he danced with the ball glued to his foot and left six Englishmen foundering in his wake.
    That was the last image of the world for Manuel Alba Olivares.
    He was eleven and at that magical moment his eyes tuned out forever. He kept the goal intact in his memory and he recounts it better than the best commentators.
    Ever since, to see soccer and other things not quite so important, Manuel borrows the eyes of his friends.
    Thanks to them, this blind Colombian founded the soccer club he leads, became and remains the coach of the team, comments on the matches on his radio program, sings to entertain the audience and, in his free time, he works as a lawyer.

July 15
A N E XORCISM
    On this night in 1950, the eve of the World Cup final, Moacir Barbosa slept in the arms of the angels.
    He was the most beloved man in all Brazil.
    But the following day the finest goalkeeper in the world became a traitor to his country: Barbosa failed to block the Uruguayan goal that snatched the trophy from Brazil’s grasp.
    Thirteen years later, when Maracanã stadium put in new goalposts, Barbosa took the two posts and the crossbar that had humiliated him. He chopped them up with an ax and burned the pieces until they were nothing but ashes.
    The exorcism did not save him from damnation.

July 16
M Y D EAR E NEMY
    White was Brazil’s jersey. But once the 1950 World Cup showed white to be unlucky, it was never white again.
    The final match was over, Uruguay was world champion and the fans would not leave. Two hundred thousand Brazilians had turned to stone in Maracanã stadium.
    On the field a number of players still wandered about.
    The two best crossed paths, Obdulio and Zizinho.
    They crossed paths. They eyed each other.
    They were very different. Obdulio, the victor, was made of steel. Zizinho, the vanquished, was made of music. But they were also very much alike: both had played nearly the entire championship injured, an inflamed ankle in one case, a swollen knee in the other, and not a complaint was heard from either.
    Now, at the end of the match, they didn’t know if they should give each other a slug or a hug.
    Years later, I asked Obdulio, “Do you ever see Zizinho?”
    â€œSure. Once in a while,” he said. “We close our eyes and we see each other.”

July 17
I NTERNATIONAL J USTICE D AY
    The Queen said:
    â€œThere’s the King’s Messenger. He is in prison now and being punished and the trial doesn’t even begin till next Wednesday: and of course, the crime comes last of all.”
    â€œSuppose he never commits the crime?” said Alice.
    Â 
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  —From Alice Through the Looking-Glass ,
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  sequel to Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, 1872

July 19
T HE F IRST T OURIST ON R IO’S B EACHES
    Portuguese Prince-Regent João, son of Queen Maria, visited the beach at the port of Rio de Janeiro on his doctor’s advice in 1810.
    The monarch jumped into the water with his shoes on, wearing a barrel. He was terrified of crabs and waves.
    His audacious example did not catch on. The beaches of Rio were noxious garbage dumps, where at night slaves deposited the waste of their masters.
    By the time the twentieth century rolled around, the waters offered a much better swim, but take note: ladies and gentlemen were