The ex-Brazilian side Cláudio Ibraim Vaz Leal “Branco”, champion in the 1994 soccer world cup in the United States, is admitted with covid-19 in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro, according to local media.
The health status of Branco, who is currently coordinator of the lower categories of the Brazilian team, was not disclosed by the CopaStar Hospital, where it remains entered. The information was published by the O’Globo group.
Hospital sources confirmed to Efe on Thursday that the former player is admitted and did not deny that it is due to covid-19. For its part, Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) chose not to comment on the matter.
According to the portal Globe Sports, White is one of the six infected with the SARS-CoV-2 detected so far, that he recently traveled with the Brazilian U18 team to the city of Recife, in the northeast of the country, for a series of training sessions and friendly matches.
According to the aforementioned media, all those infected “have a good recovery” and are isolated, as well as the rest of the members of the delegation who were negative in the tests carried out when they returned from Recife.
Those affected by the virus also include the coach of the Brazilian U18 team, Dudu Patetuci, as well as the physical trainer Igor Cotrim.
Branco was one of the fundamental pieces of the team that was proclaimed champion in the 1994 USA World Cup, at the controls of the technician Carlos Alberto Parreira and led on the field by forward Romário de Souza.
Four years earlier, at the World Cup in Italy, the left-back starred in a controversial and mysterious moment in the round of 16 against Argentina, who opted in favor of the Albiceleste thanks to the lonely goal of both
Claudio Cannigia.
In the episode known as Agua Bendita, it is said that the Argentine physiotherapist Miguel di Lorenzo offered cans of water to the players, including Branco, who assured that he felt dizzy after drinking from the bottles.
Later, the Brazilian defender denounced that they could have thrown some substance into the water and even Maradona came to joke about it, but the technician Carlos Alberto Bilardo denied it
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