South American Footballer of the Year – The Rey de América (“King of America”). The award was conceived by Venezuelan newspaper El Mundo in 1971. Originally, journalists could vote for any South American and Central American players at any club around the world. In the inaugural year the votes went for Brazilian player, but he was not Pele. Two Argentine players followed – third was Luis Artime (Nacional Montevideo) with 19 points and second Jose Omar Pastoriza (Independiente Avellaneda) with 21 points. The award went to Tostao (Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte).
Tostao got 24 points.
Eduardo Goncalves de Andrade, forward/attacking midfielder, was 24 years old, but already had almost 10 years of professional football – he debuted in 1962, 15-years old, for his original club America Mineiro (Belo Horizonte) and his 16 goals in 26 games immediately propelled him to bigger club – Cruzeiro – where he not only continued to score goals as a centre midfielder, becoming the biggest star of the club and one of the best Brazilian players.
By 1970 he was a world-class star and national team player since 1966.
In 1970 he won the World Cup with Brazil and one of the greatest players at the world finals in Mexico, where he played as a centre-forward, because Brazil had too many midfielders, starting with Pele. He was able to play as a left winger, as a playmaker, as second striker, as attacking midfielder, even as defensive midfielder on occasion – his techinical skills made him versatile and flexible player with great work rate and discipline. Given his age – only 24 in 1971 – he was rightly awarded: not only the present, but the future belonged to him, seen as new Pele. Unfortunately, he got eye injury in 1969, from which he never recovered and his career was cut prematurely in 1973. From the time distance, it was only right Tostao got the award – unlike most world-class stars, he had no chance to play long enough, but his talent deserved recognition.