It was the nickname or household name of an excellent Brazilian football player. His full name was Waldir Pereira and he was also nicknamed Didu, O Senhor futebol (Mr. Football) and The Prince of Ethiopia. In his teens he was in a wheelchair and almost had his leg amputated due to an accident. He was the inventor of the folha seca (dry leaf) on free kicks and paradinha, and the first player to score a goal at the Maracanã Stadium. He was considered the Best Player of the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, when Brazil won its first World Cup. He also played in the 1962 World Cup in Chile, winning the second World Cup for Brazil. He played for Fluminense, Botafogo, Sporting Cristal and Real Madrid. He coached Peru at the 1970 World Cup. In Colombia, he was nicknamed Alex Valderrama, a player for Unión Magdalena de Santa Marta and Junior de Barranquilla.
