Carlos Alberto, the man who captained the Brazil team often described as soccer's greatest ever to victory at the 1970 World Cup, died Tuesday at age 72.

FIFA, world football's governing body, confirmed his death on its website.

A short statement said: "It is with tremendous sadness that FIFA has learned that Carlos Alberto Torres died at the age of 72 on Tuesday 25 October 2016."

Alberto scored one of the most memorable goals in World Cup history in the final as his side beat Italy 4-1 in Mexico City.

He rampaged forward from right-back to put the seal on victory, hammering home the most emphatic of finishes after a stunning move involving eight players including Tostao and Pele, who rolled the ball to him.

Then aged 25, Alberto became the youngest-ever World Cup-winning captain having already skippered Santos, his club at the time.

He had been appointed two years before the tournament and in an interview with FIFA recalled: "I was elevated to the captaincy of a team regarded at the time as the best in Brazil, and by many as the best in the world.

"It included world champions like Pele, Coutinho, Pepe, Gilmar and Mauro.

"There's no doubt that being the Santos skipper led to me getting the Selecao armband. I'm very proud still to be the youngest captain of a World Cup-winning team."

(CNN)