MKA Sports backs the book “Seleção Nunca Vista”

Book reveals never-before-seen pictures of the 1958 pre-World Cup training sessions

The launch party will be held at the Museu do Futebol on 28 May

Sixty years ago, photojournalist Antonio Lucio (1930-2000) used his Rolleiflex to capture all the backstage action when the Brazilian national team held serious training sessions before a big competition for the first time. These sessions took place in Poços de Caldas (Minas Gerais state) in April 1958. A total of 72 pictures, most of which have never been seen before, are accompanied by captions from Antero Greco in the new book “Seleção Nunca Vista” (“Never-before-seen National Team” in English).

The book will be launched shortly before the World Cup kicks-off in Russia at the Museu do Futebol on the 28^th of May at 6pm, with copies being sold at the venue (R$ 75). The event is sponsored by MKA Sports International and MKA Advogados and supported by the State of São Paulo’s Culture Deparment, Museu do Futebol and Capella Editorial.

“This amazing gift to sport lovers owes its existence to the efforts of journalist Silvia Herrera, Antonio Lucio’s daughter. After her father’s passing, she kept the boxes with the negatives he collected throughout his career”, says Antero Greco, who worked with Lucio in the 1970s. While going through her father’s archive, Silvia found some peculiar pictures, depicting what looked like national team players. When the negatives were digitized, her hunch proved right – she had found extremely rare images of the team put together by Vicente Feola in April 1958.

“Silvia got really excited about publishing this treasure trove, so she sought me out a long time ago, before the 2014 World Cup, to help her with this project. I immediately said yes, even though my contribution is limited to having written an introduction, a recap of the 1958 World Cup and the captions. And that’s it, because the real stars are the masterpieces captured by Lucio”, explains Antero

Backstage action

The book provides a look into the backstage action of this pre-World Cup training period, including training matches and rare moments of free time. It depicts stars like Pepe, Zito, Gylmar, Didi, Mazzola and Zito, among others, giving their all in activities, which the national team had never been put through before, led by Paulo Machado de Carvalho. “Alongside them is a young Pelé, who would come back from Europe having become the King of Soccer. This was a historic moment for Brazil, which was captured by Lucio’s images”, adds Antero.

Silvia Herrera had been trying to bring the project to life since 2014. “After dozens of rejections, we decided to give crowdfunding a try. Thanks to 54 supporters, among them the MKA Advogados law firm, responsible for the biggest donation, we managed to secure the funds to publish the book in partnership with Capella Editorial”, says Silvia.

About Antonio Lucio – he took up photography at the age of 14, with the photographers of the newspaper “Notícias de Hoje”, where he worked as an errand boy. Lucio honed his craft out in the city, working as a photojournalist in the newsrooms of several publications, such as “A Hora”, “O Esporte”, “Diários Associados”, “O Cruzeiro”, “Manchete” and “O Estado de S. Paulo”. He also worked as a photographer for the government of São Paulo State, and the São Paulo State Department for Sports and Tourism. He was the first Brazilian journalist to get an international scoop. In 1961, Lucio found the Portuguese ship Santa Maria, which was abducted by a military group that opposed the Salazar Dictatorship in Portugal. He is responsible for the first pictures aboard the ship, a feat publicized the world over, and which won him his second Esso Award. His first, won the previous year, was awarded to his coverage of the inauguration of Brasília.

About Antero Greco – he has covered all World Cups since 1978, in addition to other international competitions, such as Copa América de Seleções (America Cup), Copa Libertadores da América and Confederations Cup. He began his career in 1974, aged 19, as a proofreader at “O Estado de S. Paulo”.  Three years later, he was promoted to reporter on the sports beat, where he later became reporting chief, special reporter, assistant editor and editor. Greco also worked in the newsrooms of “Popular da Tarde”, “Folha de S. Paulo”, “Diário Popular” and “TV Bandeirantes”, where he took part in the first broadcasts of the Italian Championship in 1983. He has been a soccer commentator at ESPN since 1994, as well as being the longest-serving commentator at this network. In 2000, he joined “SportsCenter”.

Information

“Seleção Nunca Vista”, by Antonio Lucio and Antero Greco (Capella Editorial – R$75)

Launch

Date: 28 May (Monday)

Time: 06:00 pm to 10:00

Venue: Museu do Futebol (Soccer Museum)

Address: Praça Charles Miller, s/n – Pacaembu, São Paulo – SP, 01234-010

The book is available for purchase at:

Amazon (www.amazon.com.br)

Capella Editorial (capella.art.br)

Facebook (www.facebook.com/AntonioLuciophotografer)