The Lebanese-Brazilian Football Player Who Won A World Cup

Despite the Lebanese national team never making it to a World Cup, Lebanon does already have a World Cup winner. Brazilian national team footballer Cláudio Ibrahim Vaz Leal, better known as Branco, was a left-back who played an important role in Brazil’s historic 1994 World Cup win.

Born on April 4, 1964 in Bagé, Brazil, little is known about Branco’s paternal and maternal roots. They are presumed to be Arab, and the Ibrahim kind of gives it away. In accordance with Brazilian naming patterns, Vaz is his maternal family and Leal his paternal one. Branco is one of the many Arab and Lebanese Brazilians that ended up settling in Brazil.

Branco accumulated 72 international appearances for Brazil during his career, scoring 9 goals. One of his most memorable goals was in the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals, scoring a stunning free kick against the Netherlands. Branco had initially been benched for the first 4 games of the tournament, but made his way into the team after teammate Leonardo’s red card against Brazil in the Round of 16.

Branco immediately siezed on the opportunity playing the full 90 minutes in the quarters and semis as Brazil eliminated the Netherlands and Sweden. In the final, Branco played all 120 minutes against Italy during their 0-0 draw, scoring a decisive penalty in the shootout that won Brazil the World Cup. Thus, Branco became the first, and one of the only, players of Lebanese origin to secure their place among football’s golden halls.

Branco’s final Brazil game was on 22 February 1995 against Slovakia. His successor, Roberto Carlos would go on to win the World Cup with Brazil in 1998, scoring his own memorable free kicks in the process. Branco’s most major honor apart from the World Cup is a Copa America tournament in 1989. At the club level, Branco enjoyed spells with Internacional, Fluminense, Brescia, Porto, and Genoa. He retired in 1998 after spells with Middlesbrough, New York Metrostars, and Fluminense once more.