Incomparable Pelé
#Pelé
Check out some of the key moments in his career that explains who is the Athlele of the Century
Pelé 17 years old champion of the world
Pelé was called to dispute the World Cup in 1958 in Sweden with just 17 years old. The boy debuted in the competition in the third game, victory of 2–0 against Soviet Union. In the quarter finals, he did the triumph goal of 1–0 against Wales. In the semi-final, more three goals over France and in the decision, other two goals against Sweden. Pelé was crowned, after the final, as the King of Football and fulfilled a promise to his father, Dondinho. In 1950, in seeing his father crying after the loss of Brazil to Uruguay, he said: “Father, don’t cry, I’m going to win the World Cup for you.” It took him only eight years to come true.
Pelé in the World Club Cup
On 11 of October 1962, Pelé scored three goals and ran Santos in the thrashing of 5–2 over Eusébio’s Benfica, becoming champion for the first time of the World Club Cup. That was the game of return, in the Light Stadium (Estádio Da Luz) in Lisbon, in front of more than 70 thousand spectators. The first game in the Maracana Stadium, Santos had won by 3–2, with Pelé scoring two goals. The game in the Portuguese capital had such a huge importance that the official radio program of the Brazilian government “The Voice of Brazil” (“A Voz do Brasil”) created in 1935, changed for the first time its scheduled hour so that the population could listen it live. The exhibition of Santos was of such an impact that after the last whistle, Benfica supporters didn’t leave the stadium and applauded the Brazilian team. The former Portuguese centre midfielder Jose Augusto was empathic: “They ran us over”, he summarised.
Pelé in the Libertadores
Alongside Zito, Coutinho e Pepe, Pelé took Santos to conquer two-time champion of Cup Libertadores in 1963, against Boca Juniors in 2–1, in the second match of the finals in Bombonera. The first game in the Maracana Stadium, Fish had won in 3–2. In Buenos Aires, Santos faced a stadium with over 85 thousand fanatical Boca Juniors supporters that in between many boos, hostilities and war screams, chanted without a pause “Alive you don’t leave”. But Pelé was inspired, dribbled past, escaped from the Argentinians defence and did one of the victory goals of 2–1. Santos was the best team in the planet and in that year would win the second Club World Cup against Milan. It just wasn’t even better in both competitions because the club directors of that time decided to leave the South American competition and take the team to excursions in Europe.
Pelé the greatest of the Century
Pelé was the first professional football player to reach the incredible mark of a thousand goals. The fact occurred in the night of 19 of November of 1969, in Maracana Stadium, when Santos was playing against Vasco in the tournament Roberto Gomes Pedrosa. The match was tied at 1–1 until 32 minutes of the second half, when Pelé was knocked down in the area by the defender Fernando. Penalty marked by referee Manoel Amaro de Lima. In the kick, the star hit the left corner of the goalkeeper Andrada. The match was being watched by 65 thousand spectators. In the celebration, Pelé requested in the microphones that people should concern and care about Brazilian children. It wasn’t his last goal, of course. According to FIFA, in total, Pelé scored 1.281.
Pelé in the 1970 World Cup
Already a two-time champion, Pelé arrived in the Mexican Cup under the impression that he was not the same. Honest mistake. In campaign for the third-time champion, he ran the team that had stars like Rivellino, Tostão, Gerson, Piazza, Carlos Alberto Torres, Jairzinho, Clodoaldo, among many others. The star said to his friends that it was going to be his last opportunity to be Champion of the World again and he needed the support of them for this. It was six victories in six games. The performance was so incredible that even the goals he missed became history: head ball defended by the English Gordon Banks, attempt in the other side of the field against Czechoslovakia and the disconcerting dribble, without touching the ball in the Uruguayan Marzurkiewisk. It was a consecration of a genius.
Pelé that stopped a war
In 1969, during Santos excursions, there was ceasefire of an African conflict to receive the King of Football and to allow the local population to go to the stadiums to watch the match. The conflict ceased was the Biafra War, in Nigeria, that lasted from 1967 to 1970. Santos was in the African continent when they were hired to play in Benin against Nigerian team Mid-West. The governor in the region decreed public holiday and also there was a ceasefire so as the Santos delegation could play with tranquillity.
Pelé the Goalkeeper