Photographing World Cup Final Goal Scorers
"Nowadays Jairzinho works with kids in the favelas of Rio where the unwritten rule is that you have to be out by 5pm. I asked for 10 more minutes and when I turned round, a guy had pulled a gun on my crew"
I am not an obsessive football fan. What captivates me most about the sport is its universal nature – the essence is a ball crossing a line, and a goal is a goal whether it happens between two jerseys in a park or decides the outcome of a World Cup final. In 2007, upon discovering that only 58 players had ever scored in a World Cup final and that just 34 of them were still alive, I conceived the idea of photographing all of them.
It soon became clear that book sales alone would not fund the project, as only two English players had scored in finals, with the rest based across Europe and South America. However, after successfully pitching to a film producer, I was granted the opportunity to travel to 13 countries with a documentary crew. Over four years, we interviewed every member of this exclusive World Cup club, and I created portraits of each.
Jairzinho: From World Cup Hero to Favela Mentor
This is Jair Ventura Filho, widely known as Jairzinho, who scored Brazil’s third goal in their 4-1 victory over Italy in the 1970 World Cup final in Mexico City. Today, he dedicates his time to working with underprivileged children in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. This portrait was taken in the Manguinhos favela, where he operates a football school.
The favelas are remarkable shantytowns where police authority is limited. An unwritten rule dictates that anyone not residing in the favela must leave by 5pm. For our shoot, we hired security from local drug lords—mostly young men—who lost interest by mid-afternoon and departed. The session with Jairzinho took place at a public football ground. As we were leaving, I noticed an old football table outside a bar. It seemed like a gift, and Jairzinho was fond of it. I requested, "We’ve got to do this, can I have 10 more minutes?"
When working in documentary photography, I avoid artificial lighting, but I had my assistant Stevie hold a small light. I shoot with a Hasselblad camera equipped with a digital back and always use a tripod. Early on, I learned that keeping the camera stationary and looking down into the viewfinder while engaging with the subject prevents them from altering their behaviour, unlike moving around and pointing the camera directly at their face.
As I prepared the shot, I noticed a man approaching on a bicycle—not the child visible in the photograph. He stealthily passed through the frame and disappeared behind me, where Dan, the director, Gretha, the producer, and other crew members stood with our local fixer, waiting for us to finish. I focused on Jairzinho but could hear a heated conversation escalating behind me. Eventually, Dan said, "Michael, I think we ought to go."
When photographing a famous individual, time is often limited, but Jairzinho appeared comfortable, so I continued for a few more minutes until I was satisfied with the composition. Then I turned to see the man on the bicycle had drawn a gun on Dan and Gretha. Dan remarked, "Do you get it now?"
It appeared the man objected to our presence in the favela. The rest of the crew and fixer had already left, but Stevie, Jairzinho, and I had been too absorbed in the shoot to notice. Dan and Gretha could have insisted we leave immediately, but I appreciate their patience in allowing me to capture the shot I wanted. We departed promptly thereafter.
Beyond the composition and the fact that we managed to shoot in a favela—a setting so emblematic of Rio—I cherish this photograph because the turmoil occurring behind the camera is completely invisible in the portrait. This contrast is often the case in photography.
Michael Donald’s CV
Born in Wakefield in 1966—though by chance, as I am actually from Belfast. The highlights of my career include winning awards and seeing my work published internationally, but the true high points are moments when I feel fully immersed in my work.
My top advice: To make a living, you must follow instructions, but always ensure you pursue your own projects that genuinely excite you. That passion will lead to your best work and improve all other aspects of your craft.
