• Alcides Ghiggia died 65 years to the day his goal won the 1950 World Cup for Uruguay
• Ghiggia was oldest living World Cup winner
• Played club football for Penarol, AS Roma, AC Milan and Danubio
• Represented Italy as well as his native Uruguay

ON THURSDAY 16th JULY, Alcides Ghiggia’s heart beat its final beat, his lungs drew their final breath and his eyes closed for a final time. According to his son, in the final moments preceding his death, he had been talking about football.

At the age of 88, Ghiggia’s passing prompted Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez to declare 3 days of national mourning in his honour.

Sixty-five years ago to the day of his death, in the final match of the 1950 World Cup, those lungs and that heart had propelled Ghiggia’s 5′ 6″ frame and match-stick thin legs into the penalty area of the newly built Maracana stadium.

With ten minutes to go, and with Brazil only needing a point to be crowned World Champions, two nations held their breath:
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