Brazilian right-back Nelinho scored one of the classic “did he mean it?” goals during the third-place play-off at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina; unleashing a shot that bent past Italian ‘keeper Dino Zoff so wickedly that the ball’s flight path almost has a corner in it half-way through.. The victory over Italy, securing the bronze medal, had a goal with the mark of Nelinho. A long shot with bend that has been rarely seen in the world of football, making goalkeeper Dino Zoff squirm and helpless in net. Nelinho played for América, Cruzeiro and Atlético, was one of the greatest goalscoring wing-backs and is considered one of the greatest free-kick takers in history. He scored 165 goals in 764 matches. The Mechanics of Nelinho’s Swerve In the 64th minute, Brazil broken the tactical deadlock through an individual action that defied standard ball trajectories. Receiving a pass from Roberto Dinamite wide on the right flank, Brazilian right-back Nelinho pushed the ball down the touchline. C...