Google Doodle commemorates 100th birthday of Leonidas da Silva, the inventor of bicycle-kick

BORDEAUX, FRANCE: (FILES) File picture dated 19 June 1938 of Brazilian forward Leonidas da Silva (L) controlling the ball in front of a Swedish defender during the World Cup soccer match for third place between Brazil and Sweden in Bordeaux.

By depicting a frame-by-frame outline of Brazilian footballer Leonidas da Silva, widely credited to being the pioneer of ‘bicycle-kick’, performing his trade mark shot, Google celebrated what would have been the 100th birthday of the now-deceased footballer, who was popularly known as the “Black Diamond”.

Da Silva died aged 90 of Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes in 2004. The Brazilian, who has 21 goals in his 19 international caps, was also nicknamed as “Rubber Man” because of his suppleness.

Born in Rio de Janeiro on September 6 1913, Leonidas da Silva first employed the bicycle-kick in April 24, 1932, in a match between his club Bonsucesso and Carioca.

Although the diminutive centre forward used the phenomenal move quite regularly thereafter, it was only captured on camera in 1948 during Sao Paulo’s 8-0 victory over Juventus.

He represented Brazil in two subsequent World Cups, in 1934 and 1938. His eight goals made him the top scorer in the 1938 World Cup in France, one in which Brazil lost to Italy in the semi-final in Marseille, a game in which Silva was left out of.

In 1941, his sixth year with Flamengo, he was declared guilty of counterfeiting a certificate that could give him immunity from army service. As a result of which he ended up serving eight months in jail. After being released, he joined Sao Paolo in 1942 and helped them win a championship medal by netting 14 goals.

Besides trying his hand as a private detective, Da Silva was also involved in a short coaching stint with Sao Paulo after retiring from professional football in 1950. However, he spent the next 20 years of his life as a radio commentator.

This remark by Jerry Wienstein on Leonidas da Silva best describes the Brazilian international: “He was as fast as a greyhound, as agile as a cat, and seemed not to be made of flesh and bones at all, but entirely of rubber. He was tireless in pursuit of the ball, fearless, and constantly on the move. He never conceded defeat. He shot from any angle and any position, and compensated for his small height with exceptionally supple, unbelievable contortions, and impossible acrobatics.”