Pele, the humble superstar who transcended soccer and sports: 'Greatest of them all'
Pele won three World Cups and scored more than 1,000 goals for club and country, but those numbers just scratch the surface of what he did for his sport.
RIP Pele
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I saw him play briefly for the New York Cosmos.
His stats are impressive, he personally carried Brazil to victory in the 1958 and 1970 WC. He was injured in both the 1962, whom Garrincha is responsible for winning, and the 1966 version which saw him exit with injury in the first match against Bulgaria. He briefly retired from International competition, he was persuaded to return by manager Mario Zadallo. We saw the results...poor Rolling Thunder (Riva) got, to quote Silvio Dante, marginalized.
On a positive note, The Azzurri finally recovered from the Superga air disaster. English announcer mispronouncing Giacinto's last name, it's Fucketti not Fassetti.
His stats are impressive, he personally carried Brazil to victory in the 1958 and 1970 WC. He was injured in both the 1962, whom Garrincha is responsible for winning, and the 1966 version which saw him exit with injury in the first match against Bulgaria. He briefly retired from International competition, he was persuaded to return by manager Mario Zadallo. We saw the results...poor Rolling Thunder (Riva) got, to quote Silvio Dante, marginalized.
On a positive note, The Azzurri finally recovered from the Superga air disaster. English announcer mispronouncing Giacinto's last name, it's Fucketti not Fassetti.
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I watched him play a lot for the Cosmos, including his last game (Muhammad Ali was among the celebs paying tribute). He drew your attention because...well, you knew you were seeing a live, in-the-flesh "god." However, he was not the most dynamic threat among the stars on the Cosmos. He drifted in and out the run of play, kinda like Gordie Howe did in his final NHL years in Hartford. But when he saw the field open up just a hair, he'd burst toward the goal for a shot or to receive a pass. Scorers eyes widen, and his were like sunbeams burning goalies to ash.
The above list is bs without Socrates. I know this thread is to honour Pele, imho Socrates was a better trequartista than Rivaldo. He was also a champion of democracy at a time when Brazil was ruled by a military junta. Had he not moved to Fiorentina (briefly) he may have gotten himself killed.
Unfortunately he never won a WC and like Ronaldinho, was a functioning alcoholic.
Unfortunately he never won a WC and like Ronaldinho, was a functioning alcoholic.
