How old is Jairzinho? Personal details of the Brazilian football legend

How old is Jairzinho? Personal details of the Brazilian football legend

Grace Waruguru
updated at May 28, 2024 at 1:59 PM
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How old is Jairzinho? The Brazilian footballer ranks among the best players and goal-scorers ever. He enjoyed a thriving career from the 60s to the 80s, leaving a legacy that inspired generations. Discover the player's career journey and personal details here.

Retired footballer Jairzinho
Brazilian footballerJairzinho during the early days of his career. He is among the top goal scorers in Batofogo's club history. Photo: @futnostalgico, @gabrieluar (Modified by author)
Source: Twitter

Table of Сontents:

Jairzinho scored a goal in every game he played for his country, participating in three consecutive World Cups: 1966, 1970, and 1974. The athlete played primarily as a winger and striker, although he was also an attacking midfielder and forward. How old is Jairzinho? Find out his age and other details about the former player.

Jairzinho's profile and bio summary

Full name

Jair Ventura Filho

Age

79 years old (As of 2024)

Date of birth

December 25th, 1944

Nickname

The Hurricane, World Cup Hurricane

Place of birth

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Nationality

Brazilian

Marital status

Married

Partner

Tereza Cristina Ventura

Son

Jair Ventura

Height

5 feet, 8 inches

Weight

116 kgs

Hair colour

Black

Eye colour

Brown

Profession

Professional footballer

Position

Winger, striker

How old is Jairzinho?

Jairzhinho in Rio de Janeiro
Jairzinho attends Japan footballer Keisuke's Honda's official presentation at the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on February 08, 2020. Photo: Mauro Pimentel
Source: Original

What is Jairzinho's age? The Brazilian player, fully known as Jair Ventura Filho, was born on December 25th, 1944, making him 79 years old as of May 2024. His zodiac sign is Capricorn.

Jairzinho's nationality

The Hurricane, as he is popularly known, is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Unfortunately, the details of Jairzinho's family remain undisclosed.

Education

The former striker likely attended local primary and high school in Rio. However, the names of the institutions remain unknown. Ventura started playing football at 13.

Is Jairzinho married?

The 79-year-old is married to Tereza Cristina Ventura. The couple has kept the details of their relationship private. According to Sportsmob, they have a son called Jair Ventura, who is a football manager.

Football career

Jairzinho and
Jairzinho and Paulo César at Marseille on 18th October 1974. Photo: Gilbert Uzan
Source: Getty Images

Filho joined the Botafogo youth team in 1958 at 13, working as a ball boy for the first team. His professional debut came two years later when he became a striker for the same team. Jairzinho replaced Garrincha as a right winger after he got injured.

The footballer joined Botafogo's regular team in 1965 and stayed with the club until 1974, when he moved to Marseille. He is the club's sixth all-time top goal scorer. One of Jairzinho's best goals is a hat trick scored in the 1972 match when Botafogo beat Flamengo 6-0.

The Hurricane joined Marseille in October 1974. On the day before his debut against AS Monaco, over 10,000 fans turned up to watch his training session. His stellar performance earned him a top place with the team, although he left after a few months due to an alleged attack on an assistant referee.

In all the other teams he played for, Jairzinho established himself as a top-ranking player. He played with the Kaizer Chiefs in 1975, Cruzeiro (1976), Portuguesa (1977), Noroeste in 1978, and Fast Clube in 1979. Filho also played with Jorge Wilstermann from 1980 to 1981 before returning to Botafogo for one final year.

Jainzhiro at a coaching session
Jainzhiro at a coaching session during a project to find talent at Varginha Shantytown in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 20, 2014. Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba
Source: Getty Images

However, he did not feature in any competitive match during his second stint with Botafogo. Jairzinho played for the Brazil national team from 1965 to 1982 and later transitioned to football management. He received the Bronze Award for the 1972 South American Footballer of the Year. Jairzinho's career stats also include:

  • He won the Brazilian double in 1968 with Botafogo (Campeonato Carioca and the Taça Guanabara), scoring 9 goals in 11 games.
  • Jairzinho was Brazil's top scorer in 1970, finishing the tournament with seven goals.
  • The striker helped Portuguesa win a record 16 consecutive games, scoring 22 goals in 24 games, including three hat tricks.
  • The Hurricane scored 2 out of 6 goals at the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
  • The legendary forward scored two goals in the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
  • He won the Brazil Independence Cup in 1972.
  • The footballer was inducted into the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame.

Did Pele play with Jairzinho?

The 1970 World Cup squad that won the tournament featured legendary footballers, including Pele, Gerson, Jairzinho, Carlos Alberto, and Rivelinho. The crew played an impressive game that saw them defeat Italy 4-1. Jairzinho was part of the FIFA 100 list compiled by Pele, which featured the greatest living footballers. Pele retired from international football in 1971.

What is Jairzinho's net worth?

Jairzinho at the 2009 Soccerex Brasilia Forum
Jairzinho attends the Soccerex Brasilia Forum 2009 opening ceremony on March 17, 2009, in Brasilia, Brazil. Photo: Joedson Alves
Source: Getty Images

The World Cup Hurricane retired from professional football in 1983. He likely earned an impressive income from his football pursuits. According to online sources, his transfer to Marseille cost about £250,000 and was among the highest signings. Unfortunately, his net worth remains under review.

Frequently asked questions

Despite exiting the scene years ago, Jairzinho's influence and legacy inspire many in global football. Here are some frequently asked questions about the retired footballer.

What number did Jairzinho wear?

The multi-talented Brazilian player played several positions, including striker and winger. He wore the numbers 7, 10, and 17 throughout his career.

When did Jairzinho retire?

The World Cup Hurricane hung his boots in 1983 after a successful career and incredible goal-scoring record. He transitioned to football management and has worked with teams like Gabon, Mesquita, and Kalamata.

Jairzinho signing autographs
Jairzinho signs autographs for young children in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Photo: Popperfoto
Source: Getty Images

How old is Jairzinho?

The former Batofogo player was born on December 25th, 1944. He is 79 years old as of 2024. He started playing at 13 and made his professional debut at 15.

Final word

How old is Jairzinho? The 79-year-old is one of the most prolific goal-scorers in a single-starred Brazilian club (Botafogo), with a record of 186 goals in 416 appearances. His goals-per-game ratio is 0.45. He is idolised and celebrated by many footballers even years after retirement.

READ ALSO: Neymar's languages: How many languages does the Brazilian player speak?

Sports Brief published an article featuring the languages spoken by Neymar, the Brazilian player currently at Al Hilal. The athlete has experienced diverse cultures as his career has taken him to different countries.

Neymar's native language is Portuguese, Brazil's official and national language. He also speaks Spanish, which he learned during his stay in Barcelona. Check out the above article for the complete list of languages the football forward speaks.

Authors
Grace Waruguru photo
Grace Waruguru
Grace has over 4 years of experience in article writing and digital media content creation for various local and global brands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication (Public Relations) from Daystar University, Kenya.