Body of Brazilian football great goes missing from vault

The body of Brazilian football legend Garrincha, who was part of two World Cup-winning squads, has disappeared from a cemetery here where he was laid to rest 34 years ago.

Garrincha, born Manuel Francisco dos Santos, died at 49 due to the affects of alcoholism and was buried in his family's vault at the cemetery in Mage, relatives told O Globo newspaper on Wednesday, reported Efe news agency.

A decade ago, the player's cousin João Rogoginsky was given to understand that Garrincha's remains had been moved to make room for another departed member of the family.

But none of the player's kin was present for the exhumation and the family never received any written notification.

Recently, Mage Mayor Rafael Tubarão proposed organizing an event in October to mark what would have been Garrincha's 84th birthday.

When municipal workers sought to determine the exact location of the body, they found that Garrincha's remains were not where they were supposed to be.

The cemetery administrator, Priscila Liberia, acknowledged to O Globo that Garrincha's body might have been misplaced during the exhumation thought to have taken place 10 years ago.

An investigation is under way, Liberia said.

Besides playing for the Brazilian national team, Garrincha had a successful professional career, spent largely with the Rio de Janeiro club Botafogo.

--IANS

Rajat/vt