Italian tribute to 'champion' Socrates

Former Brazil captain Socrates, who had a brief stint with ACF Fiorentina in Italy in the 1980s, died aged 57 on Sunday.

Widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders to have graced the game, Socrates won 60 caps, appearing at the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cups. Though he spent the majority of his club career in his homeland, he tasted football in Europe with Fiorentina in the 1984/85 season.

"I was injured when he was at Fiorentina with me but I still have great memories of his time in Florence," said former Viola club-mate Giancarlo Antognoni. "He was a great character who had strong ideas about football and life in general. But most of all he was a real champion."

Former Italy goalkeeper Dino Zoff added: "From captain to captain I can say that Socrates will always have a special place in the history of football. He was an amazing player. I still remember the goal he scored against me in the [1982] World Cup. When there is a goal people always try to find a player to blame for it, but the truth is that only a great player could score a goal like that."

Socrates came out of retirement in 2004, aged 50, to play for non-league Garforth Town FC – then in the equivalent of the English tenth tier.