The recent death of Manuel Lapuente has left Mexican soccer orphaned of the father of its greatest miracle in history, the 1999 Confederations Cup title against Brazil, led by the legendary Ronaldinho.

Although Mexico was an Olympic champion in 2012, that huge triumph, also against Brazil, happened in an under-23 tournament, something different from the Confederations Cup in which Lapuente, with practical football, won a thrilling final at the Azteca Stadium.

After the World Cup finals won in 1970 by Pele's Brazil, and in 1986 by Maradona's Argentina; The duel for the Confederations Cup title is one of the most memorable at the footballing landmark in southern Mexico City, which is currently reinventing itself to host the 2026 World Cup.

Mexico, with a group of daring youngsters, took the lead with goals from Miguel Zepeda in the 12th minute and Jose Manuel Abundis in the 28th, assisted by the irreverent Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

The favorites, Brazil, tied the game with a penalty from Serginho in the 44th minute and a left-footed goal from Roni, as goalkeeper Jorge Campos came out, in the 47th minute.

Lapuente put together a group with balance across all lines, which maintained order in defense, was opportune in attack, and after beating the United States in the semifinal, went out to challenge Brazil.

In the 51st minute, Zepeda put Mexico ahead with a touch of right, to which Lapuente made an appeal not to celebrate in advance and to look for more. In the 62nd, Blanco showed his neighborhood boy's cunning and after a cut in the area, he scored with his left foot the decisive 4-2.

Mexico held on against a Brazil with red eyes of fury that went ahead and came closer with a left-footed shot from Ze Roberto in the 63rd, after which the home team weathered the storm and won.

The legacy of Manuel Lapuente

It was the greatest triumph for Lapuente, who as a player was champion with Mexico in the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, but achieved his greatest feats as a coach,by leading Mexico to the round of 16 at the 1998 World Cup in France and winning five league titles, two with Puebla, two with Necaxa, and one with America.

He was an advocate of giving Mexican players a leading role in the local league, something that is not the case today, a man with the ability to unite.

His football was based on balance at the back. He placed importance on tactical order and in the box he relied on his forwards to be efficient, almost in a minimalist way. He knew that winning 1-0 gave the same number of points as 5-0 and he convinced his players of that.

Winning the Confederations Cup, Mexico's great miracle at the national team level, had as his father a sovereign, honest man, whom everyone remembers with a Che Guevara-style beret, but without a star because he won those with his teams on the field.

"Go to the circus," he would respond if they asked for a show and then he would lock himself in with his players, convincing them that they had two legs like the best in the world and there was no reason to feel less than, which his players demonstrated on August 4, 1999, when Mexico had the greatest miracle of its football against Brazil.

*With information from EFE.