One of the greatest players in the history of Vasco da Gama football club, where he won six state championship titles and a South American championship, Barbosa is sadly predominantly remembered for just one game.

Having won the Copa América in 1949 and twice defeated Uruguay in the previous twelve months, Brazil headed into the 1950 World Cup full of confidence that they would win the competition for the first time on home soil.

The result, of course, was the famous Maracanazo defeat to Uruguay. In the tournament's decisive match, the Seleção lost 2-1 to their rivals, and goalkeeper Barbosa was widely blamed, having been expecting a cross when the winning goal was fired in.