Rocha’s Macanese hero Joaquim Pacheco, was the hard man at the heart of Sporting’s defence in that era. Unfortunately, Rocha’s time at Sporting was reportedly marred by racism due to his half-Chinese background.
Peskett described Rocha as ‘the Chinese Jimmy Greaves’. He had coined the nickname in late 1957 when reporting on an international army football tournament. The young Rocha had ‘bewildered our soldiers with spectacular ball work and cracked in a wonder goal’.
Jon Howlett
Jon Howlett
Take that, weather forecasters...
Rocha left Sporting after only 17 appearances (2 goals), but then signed for Académica de Coimbra where he made over 400 appearances and scored over 50 goals. He retired in 1971, after 14 seasons and opened a Chinese restaurant the Lung Wah in 1979.
