<p>Brazil's 1982 World Cup captain Socrates, the 'Golden Heel', renowned as one of the great playmakers of his generation, died in hospital on Sunday of septic shock at the age of 57, his doctors said in a statement. <br /><br />A smoker and drinker even in his playing days, Socrates had been on a life support system in Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Israeli Hospital since Thursday when he was admitted suffering from food poisoning. <br /><br />"The (hospital) announces with profound sadness the death of ex-player Socrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira at 0430 (local time) as a result of septic shock," the statement said. <br /><br />It was signed by doctors Fernando Luis Pandullo and Ben-Hur Ferraz Neto and the director of medical practice Oscar Fernando Pavao dos Santos. <br /><br />Socrates, who had a degree in medicine himself and was known at the height of his fame as 'Dr Socrates', had been taken to hospital three times since August, when he spent nine days there due to a digestive haemorrhage caused by excessive drinking. <br /><br />The former attacking midfielder, who played for Brazil at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, spent 17 days in the hospital in September with liver trouble and had been recommended for a transplant. <br /><br />Socrates, who had practised medicine and worked as a soccer pundit since retiring as a player, acknowledged in September that alcohol was the main cause of his disease. <br /><br />"I was an alcoholic...whoever uses alcohol every day is an alcoholic. I was dependent on alcohol," he said in an interview with television station Globo, adding that he had stopped drinking three months earlier. <br /><br />Born on Feb. 19, 1954 in Belem, a northern city on the banks of the Amazon river, Socrates started out at Botafogo-Ribeirao Preto where he became their top player despite also studying at the local university. <br /><br />He joined Sao Paulo club Corinthians in 1978 and stayed for six years. <br /><br />Bearded, thin and popularly known as 'Magrao', or the Big Skinny One, Socrates was part of a golden Brazilian generation that included midfielder Zico, Junior, Falcao and Eder. <br /><br />The brilliant Brazil side of 1982 was regarded as one of the best never to win the World Cup title after they were upset by eventual champions Italy in the second group phase of the tournament in Spain. <br /><br />An astute passer and reader of the game, he earned his nickname of 'The Golden Heel' with a uniquely nonchalant playing style, using the backheel to telling effect and scoring memorable goals with both feet. <br /><br />His languid penalty-taking style, eschewing the traditional run-up to merely step up to the ball and lift it into the net, backfired at the 1986 World Cup where Brazil lost to France in the quarterfinals on penalties after one of his lazy efforts was saved. </p>.<p>Winner of 60 caps with Brazil, Socrates scored 21 goals and was also known for strong views on both football and politics. At Corinthians, during a time of military government, he was a leading figure in the Democracia Corinthiana movement where everything was decided by a vote of directors, technical staff and players. <br /><br />The team would send messages to the country's government by taking to the field with banners demanding 'Direct elections now' or "I want to vote for President'. <br /><br />Socrates had a short and unhappy playing spell in Italy with Fiorentina and, shivering from the cold in a bizarre postscript to his career, also made a brief appearance in 2004 as a substitute for English non-league side Garforth Town.</p>.<p>In a nutshell</p>.<p>* Born Feb. 19, 1954 in Belem, a city on the banks of the Amazon river. Full name Socrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira. During his childhood, his family moved to Ribeirao Preto in the state of Sao Paulo.<br /><br />* Known alternately as the Golden Heel, Doctor Socrates and the Big Thin One, he was a smoker, drinker and a man with strong views on both football and politics. <br /><br />* He was raised at Botafogo-Ribeirao Preto and quickly became their top player, even though he trained less than the rest of the squad as he was also studying medicine at the local university. He left Botafogo in 1978 to join Corinthians.<br /><br />* Socrates stood out with his lanky figure allied to a unqiue, apparently nonchalant playing style. He was notable for the use of the backheel and the casual manner in which he took penalties. He scored outstanding goals with both feet and could conjure up the most astute of passes. <br /><br />* Socrates won 60 caps and scored 21 goals in his seven-year Brazil career. He made his debut in a 6-0 friendly international win against Paraguay in 1979.<br /><br />* Socrates was captain in 1982 and his team is widely regarded as the best side not to have won the World Cup. Playing alongside other great players such as Zico, Junior, Falcao and Eder.<br /><br />* Before the illness which led to his death, he was giving seminars about leadership and human relations. He was writing a fictional book about the 2014 World Cup. <br /><br />* Socrates was married with six children. </p>
<p>Brazil's 1982 World Cup captain Socrates, the 'Golden Heel', renowned as one of the great playmakers of his generation, died in hospital on Sunday of septic shock at the age of 57, his doctors said in a statement. <br /><br />A smoker and drinker even in his playing days, Socrates had been on a life support system in Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Israeli Hospital since Thursday when he was admitted suffering from food poisoning. <br /><br />"The (hospital) announces with profound sadness the death of ex-player Socrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira at 0430 (local time) as a result of septic shock," the statement said. <br /><br />It was signed by doctors Fernando Luis Pandullo and Ben-Hur Ferraz Neto and the director of medical practice Oscar Fernando Pavao dos Santos. <br /><br />Socrates, who had a degree in medicine himself and was known at the height of his fame as 'Dr Socrates', had been taken to hospital three times since August, when he spent nine days there due to a digestive haemorrhage caused by excessive drinking. <br /><br />The former attacking midfielder, who played for Brazil at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, spent 17 days in the hospital in September with liver trouble and had been recommended for a transplant. <br /><br />Socrates, who had practised medicine and worked as a soccer pundit since retiring as a player, acknowledged in September that alcohol was the main cause of his disease. <br /><br />"I was an alcoholic...whoever uses alcohol every day is an alcoholic. I was dependent on alcohol," he said in an interview with television station Globo, adding that he had stopped drinking three months earlier. <br /><br />Born on Feb. 19, 1954 in Belem, a northern city on the banks of the Amazon river, Socrates started out at Botafogo-Ribeirao Preto where he became their top player despite also studying at the local university. <br /><br />He joined Sao Paulo club Corinthians in 1978 and stayed for six years. <br /><br />Bearded, thin and popularly known as 'Magrao', or the Big Skinny One, Socrates was part of a golden Brazilian generation that included midfielder Zico, Junior, Falcao and Eder. <br /><br />The brilliant Brazil side of 1982 was regarded as one of the best never to win the World Cup title after they were upset by eventual champions Italy in the second group phase of the tournament in Spain. <br /><br />An astute passer and reader of the game, he earned his nickname of 'The Golden Heel' with a uniquely nonchalant playing style, using the backheel to telling effect and scoring memorable goals with both feet. <br /><br />His languid penalty-taking style, eschewing the traditional run-up to merely step up to the ball and lift it into the net, backfired at the 1986 World Cup where Brazil lost to France in the quarterfinals on penalties after one of his lazy efforts was saved. </p>.<p>Winner of 60 caps with Brazil, Socrates scored 21 goals and was also known for strong views on both football and politics. At Corinthians, during a time of military government, he was a leading figure in the Democracia Corinthiana movement where everything was decided by a vote of directors, technical staff and players. <br /><br />The team would send messages to the country's government by taking to the field with banners demanding 'Direct elections now' or "I want to vote for President'. <br /><br />Socrates had a short and unhappy playing spell in Italy with Fiorentina and, shivering from the cold in a bizarre postscript to his career, also made a brief appearance in 2004 as a substitute for English non-league side Garforth Town.</p>.<p>In a nutshell</p>.<p>* Born Feb. 19, 1954 in Belem, a city on the banks of the Amazon river. Full name Socrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira. During his childhood, his family moved to Ribeirao Preto in the state of Sao Paulo.<br /><br />* Known alternately as the Golden Heel, Doctor Socrates and the Big Thin One, he was a smoker, drinker and a man with strong views on both football and politics. <br /><br />* He was raised at Botafogo-Ribeirao Preto and quickly became their top player, even though he trained less than the rest of the squad as he was also studying medicine at the local university. He left Botafogo in 1978 to join Corinthians.<br /><br />* Socrates stood out with his lanky figure allied to a unqiue, apparently nonchalant playing style. He was notable for the use of the backheel and the casual manner in which he took penalties. He scored outstanding goals with both feet and could conjure up the most astute of passes. <br /><br />* Socrates won 60 caps and scored 21 goals in his seven-year Brazil career. He made his debut in a 6-0 friendly international win against Paraguay in 1979.<br /><br />* Socrates was captain in 1982 and his team is widely regarded as the best side not to have won the World Cup. Playing alongside other great players such as Zico, Junior, Falcao and Eder.<br /><br />* Before the illness which led to his death, he was giving seminars about leadership and human relations. He was writing a fictional book about the 2014 World Cup. <br /><br />* Socrates was married with six children. </p>
