Jair Ventura Filho (born 25 December 1944), better known as Jairzinho (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒaˌiʁˈzĩɲu]), is a Brazilian former professional footballer. A quick, skillful, and powerful right winger known for his finishing ability and eye for goal, he was a key member and leading scorer of the Brazil national team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup.
Jairzinho was nicknamed "the Hurricane" (Portuguese: o Furacão) in reference to the way his jersey would shake as he ran down the wing during his playing days. A versatile forward, he was also capable of playing in a variety of other attacking positions, as a main striker, second striker, or even as an attacking midfielder. He was known for his large afro towards the later stages of his career, as well as his burst of pace, dribbling, ball skills, finishing ability, shot power and physical strength due to his large muscular build. He is widely considered one of the greatest Brazilian players of all time and one of the greatest wingers of all time.
Due to the economic and political situation of the time, as well as the Sport Legislation, Jairzinho played most of his club football in South America where he spent eleven years at Rio de Janeiro club Botafogo. He went on to play in Europe for Marseille during the final years of his career, a common pattern for South American players until the 1980s, when the economic and political situation changed. Jairzinho replaced his footballing idol Garrincha in both the Botafogo and Brazil teams, and played in three consecutive World Cups: 1966, 1970 and 1974.
Jair Ventura Filho was born on 25 December 1944 in Rio de Janeiro, Jairzinho's family left Duque de Caxias for Rio in the late 50s. Living on Rua General Severiano where he went through the youth setup at local club Botafogo.
Jairzinho started his football career in 1958 aged 13 assigned to the Botafogo youth teams and working as a ball boy for the first team. He made his professional debut with the club as a striker at the age of fifteen in 1960. His idol Garrincha, whom he would eventually replace for both club and country, also played at Botafogo, albeit in Jairzinho's preferred position on the right wing. This resulted in Jairzinho spending most of his early games playing on the left wing or as a centre forward. However, he would fill in as a right winger, by far his strongest position, when Garrincha was injured.
Jairzinho finally established himself as a Botafogo regular in 1965 aged 21 and was seen as a rising star to the entire nation. During this young age he was already playing with Brazil and Botafogo superstars such as Gérson, Mario Zagallo and Garrincha.
In 1968, Botafogo won the Brazilian double. Winners of the 1968 Campeonato Carioca and the Taça Guanabara in which Jairzinho would score nine goals in eleven games. By this time Garrincha had already left Botafogo in 1966 and would enable Jairzinho to play in his natural right wing position. Botafogo would then top off the year with a 3rd trophy towards the end of the year winning the 1968 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (Taça Brasil) The following 1969 Campeonato Carioca season he would score 7 goals, progressing onto the next 1970 Campeonato Carioca just before the World Cup Jairzinho would finish Botafogo's top scorer with 9 goals.
After Jairzinho's excellent display in Mexico at the 1970 FIFA World Cup more eyes of the world were focused on his Botofogo side. In the final four years of his time at Botafogo, he would go on to cement himself as one of the club's most prolific goalscorers in the history of the club, scoring 186 goals in 416 appearances with a goals per game ratio of 0,45. He ranks sixth in all-time top goal scorers for Botafogo. One of his most standout performances came in 1972, in which he scored a hat-trick vs Flamengo during a famous 6–0 victory, one of the most memorable in Botafogo's history. In the same year, he would also receive the Bronze Award for the South American Footballer of the Year.
In 1974, when the sports legislation in Brazil finally changed, Jairzinho made a 1,250,000 FF (€300,000, £250,000) move to Ligue 1 side Marseille, in October. It was one of the most expensive signings at the time, along with his Botafogo and Brazil teammate Paulo Cézar Caju.
The day before his debut against AS Monaco, more than 10,000 supporters attended an Olympique de Marseille training session to see Jairzinho, who had recently joined the club. Jairzinho scored on his debut in a 4–1 victory over Monaco on 18 October 1974. His arrival generated considerable attention in Marseille, reflecting his status as a member of Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning team.
Jairzinho would go on to score nine goals in only 18 league games, also notably delivering a memorable performance against Nantes in a victory 4–0 in the Coupe de France, scoring two goals. Though he made an impact with his goals and aura, his time at the French side turned out to be short-lived due to a scuffle in which both Jairzinho and Caju were allegedly found guilty of attacking one of the assistant referees, after a 2–2 draw in the first leg of the Coupe de France quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain. The Groupement du football professionnel (the former LFP) suspended him and Caju for one year (plus one suspended), thus he ended up leaving in the summer of 1975.
According to Jairzinho, Kaizer Chiefs co-owner Ewert Nene invited him to play a few games in reaction to his Marseille departure. Jairzinho agreed a short-term deal until the start of 1976.
The stadium atmosphere each time he went on the pitch, the warm welcome, and the fact that he was "treated like a king" were the key reasons he agreed to sign, he subsequently said in an interview with the South African newspaper Soccer Laduma in 2018.
Jairzinho rarely played for the Chiefs though in only three league games, he scored seven goals during his time in South Africa.
After the end of Jairzinho's contract in South Africa, he would finally rejoin his home country and reestablish himself as the world class forward he was known for. Jairzinho signed with Cruzeiro at the beginning of 1976, just days before the season campaign started.
Jairzinho would score 31 goals in 43 games across all competitions, finishing second highest goal scorer in the 1976 Copa Libertadores with 12 goals in 12 appearances whilst also winning the trophy, the first one for the Brazilian club. Cruzeiro would then go on to play and ultimately be defeated at the 1976 Intercontinental Cup against Bayern Munich, losing the first leg 2–0 in Germany and drawing 0–0 at home.
Jairzinho would only spend a year at Cruzeiro, however a successful period.
Jairzinho, while aged 32 and still seen as a naturally gifted player, surprised his peers when joining Venezuelan side Portuguesa in 1977.