<p>Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning goalkeeper Felix, nicknamed ‘Paper’ for his slight frame and the way he flew through the air to make spectacular saves, died of complications from emphysema on Friday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>He was 74. Felix Mieli Venerando played in all six of Brazil’s matches in the 1970 tournament, making several key saves for a team that many consider the greatest of all time. <br /><br />Some fans considered him the weak link in the team. <br /><br />However, his team-mates stressed he was a key member of the squad and pointed to a save from England’s Francis Lee in Brazil’s narrow 1-0 win in the group stage as one of the crucial moments in the tournament. <br /><br />“We won that game because of the save from Felix,” captain Carlos Alberto told Radio ESPN. “Without him we wouldn’t have won the competition.”<br /><br />Quiet, unassuming and popular with his team-mates, Felix played for Brazil’s Juventus, Portuguesa and Nacional in Sao Paulo, but he made his name after moving to Fluminense in 1968. <br /><br />‘Supporters should be eternally grateful for the contribution Felix gave to the national team,” Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Jose Maria Marin said in a statement. “He is an idol and will be greatly missed.” <br /><br />After retiring in 1976, he had brief stints as a manager and goalkeeping coach before leaving the game and working in business with his family. More recently, he worked coaching poor children. <br /><br />He is the second of the great 1970 team to die and the first from natural causes. Full back Everaldo was killed in a car crash in 1974. <br /><br />The Brazilian Football Confederation said one minute's silence would be observed at every Brazilian championship game this weekend.</p>
<p>Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning goalkeeper Felix, nicknamed ‘Paper’ for his slight frame and the way he flew through the air to make spectacular saves, died of complications from emphysema on Friday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>He was 74. Felix Mieli Venerando played in all six of Brazil’s matches in the 1970 tournament, making several key saves for a team that many consider the greatest of all time. <br /><br />Some fans considered him the weak link in the team. <br /><br />However, his team-mates stressed he was a key member of the squad and pointed to a save from England’s Francis Lee in Brazil’s narrow 1-0 win in the group stage as one of the crucial moments in the tournament. <br /><br />“We won that game because of the save from Felix,” captain Carlos Alberto told Radio ESPN. “Without him we wouldn’t have won the competition.”<br /><br />Quiet, unassuming and popular with his team-mates, Felix played for Brazil’s Juventus, Portuguesa and Nacional in Sao Paulo, but he made his name after moving to Fluminense in 1968. <br /><br />‘Supporters should be eternally grateful for the contribution Felix gave to the national team,” Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Jose Maria Marin said in a statement. “He is an idol and will be greatly missed.” <br /><br />After retiring in 1976, he had brief stints as a manager and goalkeeping coach before leaving the game and working in business with his family. More recently, he worked coaching poor children. <br /><br />He is the second of the great 1970 team to die and the first from natural causes. Full back Everaldo was killed in a car crash in 1974. <br /><br />The Brazilian Football Confederation said one minute's silence would be observed at every Brazilian championship game this weekend.</p>