Former Brazil captain Socrates died yesterday aged 57 from an intestinal infection, a spokesperson for the Albert Einstein Hospital announced.

Socrates, who in 1982 captained what is widely regarded as the best Brazil side never to have won the World Cup, was taken to the hospital late Friday after suffering food poisoning.

The hospital said he had gone into septic shock and placed him on a ventilator and a dialysis machine but he was officially announced dead at 0630GMT.

He had already been hospitalised twice in August and September this year with bleeding in his digestive tract, and recognised after these incidents that he had problems with alcohol, especially during his playing days.

The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) announced that there would be a minute’s silence before last night’s matches in honour of “one of the most brilliant players in the history of the Brazilian national side”.

At club level Socrates also played for Corinthians (1978-84) and had an unhappy sojourn in Italy with Fiorentina (1984-85).

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