Sócrates was one of football’s true originals, a tall, bearded midfielder of extraordinary grace who captained Brazil’s celebrated 1982 side. A qualified doctor with a philosopher’s outlook, he played with his head up, favouring the outrageous backheel and the perfectly weighted pass.
At Corinthians he led the Corinthians Democracy movement, turning the club into a symbol of resistance during Brazil’s military dictatorship. Though the 1982 team never won the World Cup, its attacking beauty, and his elegance at its centre, endures as one of the game’s great romances.