A Scottish man, Malcolm McLean, has a unique connection to Brazil’s soccer team. His grandfather, Archie McLean, introduced the short-passing game to Brazil in 1912, which became a hallmark of their style.
Family Ties
Malcolm’s love for soccer is divided between Scotland and Brazil, where he was born and spent part of his life. He has followed Scotland to World Cups since 1974 and has also watched Brazil play, including a match in 1998 where they beat Scotland 2-1.
Archie McLean, a mechanic, was sent to Brazil to help open a factory and ended up staying for nearly 40 years. He played soccer with the locals and introduced them to the short-passing game, which they adopted and made their own.
Lasting Legacy
The Brazilians recognized the new style as something innovative and called it ‘tabelinha’ or ‘sistema inglês’. Archie’s contribution to Brazilian soccer is still remembered today, and his grandson, Malcolm, is proud to carry on the family legacy.
Malcolm has been watching the World Cup with a group of Scottish expats in Rio de Janeiro, where they have been enjoying the games and the local atmosphere. He hopes that Scotland can beat Brazil, but also wants Brazil to win the World Cup.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
