Garrincha

He carries it tied to his foot, like a moon tied to the flank of a rider,
he plays it without knowing that he plays the feeling of a crowd,
and he hits it so softly, so short, so beautiful,
that the ball is like a dove on a rope in flight,
and he touches it so precisely, so lightly, so quietly,
that he cleans it from mud and hangs it in the sky,
and the people tremble, and the people applaud him!

He carries it attached to his foot, like a tightrope walker attached to death,
he hides it - unseen - infuses it with magic and life and then returns it,
and he escapes, deceives it, leaves it, loves it,
and the ball follows him, watches him, hurts him,
and they come together and dance and the people shout,
and they embrace and roll through the nets,
and the people tremble, and the people applaud him!

Who suddenly took away the crowd?
Who suddenly stole his youth?
Who suddenly took away the magical spell of the ball?
Who entangled his leg, flank, and heart in the shadow?
Who filled his cup in solitude?
Who pushed him suddenly into reality?
Who returned him to the painful and murky suburb of childhood?
Who shouted in his face: - You are nothing, you are not yourself anymore?
You are not yourself, sir, you are not yourself.*

The last ball he stops with his chest and puts it to sleep next to his foot,
he looks at it and only sees ashes of the love that moved the people,
and he loses it in the grass, leaves it, forgets it,
doesn't want it, fears it, can't, doesn't know how,
and he feels buried in life again,
and the ball escapes him amidst insults and laughter,
and the people get furious, and boo him!

Who suddenly took away the crowd?
Who suddenly stole his youth?
Who suddenly took away the magical spell of the ball?
Who entangled his leg, flank, and heart in the shadow?
Who filled his cup in solitude?
Who pushed him suddenly into reality?
Who returned him to the painful and murky suburb of childhood?
Who shouted in his face: - You are nothing, you are not yourself anymore?

You are not yourself, sir, you are not yourself…

* Alfredo Zitarrosa does not say this verse.