Rosa Branca

Nicknamed “White Rose”, Carmo de Souza was a highly successful player for the Brazilian basketball team. In his first year for the national team, the Brazilians won the 1959 World Championships, although they were helped by the Soviets. The USSR had beaten Brazil, but subsequently refused to play against Taiwan and was then relegated to 6th place. But Brazil and Rosa Branca displayed their class four years later, winning the world title again, this time undefeated. In addition, he won two Olympic bronze medals, four South American titles, and two medals in the Pan American Games (bronze 1959 and silver 1963). De Souza ended his playing career in 1971, and later served a 12-year term as the president of the basketball federation of the state of São Paulo. He died of cardiac arrest at age 68.