Garrincha has two graves, and nobody knows which one has his remains
SAO PAULO (AP) Questions are emerging about the location of the remains of two-time World Cup champion Mane Garrincha.
The city of Mage, outside of Rio de Janeiro, said late Wednesday that there are two graves in a local cemetery marked with the name of the Brazil soccer great, but no records of his remains being moved.
Garrincha died in 1983 at the age of 49. He was a key player in Brazil's first two World Cup titles in 1958 and 1962 and is considered one of the best dribblers in the history of the sport.
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The mayor of Mage is requesting the exhumation of the bodies and collection of genetic material in the two graves at the Raiz da Serra cemetery to determine identities.
''It was noticed that there are two graves: one belonging to the family in which the burial took place in 1983 and another where allegedly another burial took place in 1985,'' the statement said. ''The city hall clarifies that it never said or believed that the remains have disappeared.''
In interviews with TV Globo, family members were split about the whereabouts of Garrincha's remains. Some said they were not moved and others believe they were transferred to the other grave in 1985.