Pele has passed away

[Frank Dacey]

I still regard that Brazil 1970 team as the best World Cup team I 've ever seen. It maybe because it was one of the first world cups I watched at a time when teams would turn up with players you'd never heard of but who were absolutely brilliant. Pele was the star, but the whole forward line was amazing.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Just now, Frank Dacey said:

I still regard that Brazil 1970 team as the best World Cup team I 've ever seen. It maybe because it was one of the first world cups I watched at a time when teams would turn up with players you'd never heard of but who were absolutely brilliant. Pele was the star, but the whole forward line was amazing.

I know what you're saying Frank but Jairzinho was the best player in that great Brazilian side.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

[Jurgen Knows]

11 minutes ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

Everybody remembers 1970 and that time he dummied the goalie, went round him like he wasn't there before slotting it away in the bottom corner.

 

Wait. What?!

 

 

Did you expect him to score every chance? Even Nunez cannot do that!

[an tha]

35 minutes ago, magicrat said:

An absolute icon when I was growing up. Every kid in playground wanted to be Pele.

 

Can't be arsed with all the meaningless "best player ever" comparisons he was simply a football god to me. RIP  

It is an era thing isn't it.

 

I am 50 and i have literally never seen Pele play - my lack of interest and frankly even respect for international football means i have taken next to zero interest in his exploits at world cups and he was done and dusted in all that before i was even born.

 

Therefore I personally have nothing to go on regarding Pele other than what I read - I find it difficult to believe many of the people raving about him know any more than i do though frankly. Someone needs to be a minimum of about 60-65 years of age to be able remember and properly evaluate the 1970 World Cup really (Pele's last I believe) and that means someone may have seen Pele what 4 or 5 times maybe on the telly....

 

So for me deffo an era thing. That isn't to say he wasn't great - it is just too long ago for most of us to be able to know/understand/appreciate.

 

 

 

[easytoslip]

1 hour ago, Vincent Vega said:

The great man at Goodison in 1966. 

Kicked out of the tournament by Portugal, things don't seem to have changed.

[John102]

@Carvalho Diablo seems to have gone full Blueshite 'Pace goals' with his Pele alanlysis.

[Pete]

Rest in Peace

[Tony Moanero]

Brazil 1970 is the best football kit of all time, in my opinion.

 

[corro]

9 minutes ago, Tony Moanero said:

Brazil 1970 is the best football kit of all time, in my opinion.

 

 

Without a doubt. Fair enough the finest ever World Cup winners done it justice.

RIP Pele. The best ever.

[Trumo]

In that 1970 World Cup, he scored a few goals including the opener in the final, but it's the ones that didn't go in that are memorable. Against the Czechs, he hit one from nearly halfway that only just drifted wide. Against England, Banks pulled off a brilliant save to deny him, and against Uruguay he dummied the keeper then scuffed his shot wide from an angle.

 

Stat-padding with goals scored in his back garden or not, he is the first player to transcend the sport, much like Ali in boxing. A genuine legend.

[John102]

13 minutes ago, Trumo said:

In that 1970 World Cup, he scored a few goals including the opener in the final, but it's the ones that didn't go in that are memorable. Against the Czechs, he hit one from nearly halfway that only just drifted wide. Against England, Banks pulled off a brilliant save to deny him, and against Uruguay he dummied the keeper then scuffed his shot wide from an angle.

 

Wait....Carvalho Diablo is Trumo???? Trumo is Carvalho Diablo????

 

 

[Kevin D]

 

By Jeremy Wilson

 

Presidents, celebrities and football legends past and present have paid heartfelt tributes to Pelé, who was described by the Brazilian Football Confederation as “the greatest sportsman of all time”.

 

Lionel Messi, the finest player of the modern generation and Argentina's new World Cup-winning captain, posted photographs on Instagram of himself with the Brazilian icon. “Rest in peace, Pelé," Messi wrote.

 

Sir Bobby Charlton, England’s greatest ever player, said that Pelé “was a truly magical footballer and a wonderful human being” with whom it was “an honour to have shared a pitch”.

 

As well as being the only player in football history to win the World Cup three times, Pelé’s influence as the most recognisable and celebrated personality in Brazilian history was hailed following his death at the age of 82.

 

“Pelé was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game and, as one of the most recognisable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together,” said former United States president Barack Obama.

 

The English Football Association lit the Wembley arch in the colours of the Brazilian flag.

 

“Everyone who loves football, loves Pelé,” said an FA statement. “His unique talent lit up the game, and inspired football. Our thoughts are with his family, the Brazil Football Confederation and the Brazilian people.”

 

Pelé’s former club, FC Santos simply posted a crown with the word: “Eterno (eternal)”, while the Brazilian Football Confederation gave thanks for his legacy.

 

“The King of Soccer was the ultimate exponent of a victorious Brazil, never afraid of any difficulty,” said a statement. “A black, poor boy born in Tres Coracoes, Pelé showed us that there is always a new path. He promised his father he would win a World Cup and he won us three.”

 

Germany's World Cup-winning captain and manager Franz Beckenbauer, who played with Pelé later in his career at New York Cosmos, said: “Today, football lost the greatest man in its history - and I lost a unique friend.”

[The Midnight Rambler]

I know people love to hate Neymar but this is fucking great.

[Chip Butty]

Picture of me and Pele. I’m at the back. 
 

[Mudface]

7 minutes ago, Chip Butty said:

Picture of me and Pele. I’m at the back. 
 

 

Gerroff your phone, ffs.

[Harry's Lad]

Green Jesus.

 

 

[Tony Moanero]

[The Midnight Rambler]

 

[VladimirIlyich]

10 hours ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

Fixed

Are you pissed? His profile was a bit embarrassing after he finished playing but he was a great player even if some debate him being the 'best.'

[Peter Cormack]

I’ve seen a fair number of the greats in the flesh: I’ll never forget seeing Pele getting kicked and fouled in everyway possible at Goodison in 1966, the main culprit was a centre back called Torres an absolute animal, how he stayed on the pitch I’ll never know. Pele was injured for the Brazil - Hungary game, the best game of football I have ever seen. 

[DaveT]

13 hours ago, Frank Dacey said:

I still regard that Brazil 1970 team as the best World Cup team I 've ever seen. It maybe because it was one of the first world cups I watched at a time when teams would turn up with players you'd never heard of but who were absolutely brilliant. Pele was the star, but the whole forward line was amazing.

Great memories of that day…. Over to New Brighton, spent the day at the outdoor swimming pool and on the Astroslide, mad dash on train and bus to get home in time for the final. World Cups we’re magical in those days, with next to no live football on tv otherwise, players you’d only read about at best. Some great games…. W Germany v Italy semi was brilliant.And a wonderful Brazil team deservedly lifting the trophy. 
GOAT is probably a generational thing, but it’s Pele for me. 3 times WC winner, 2 goals in a final as a 17 year old….

[Tony Moanero]

 

Tampa Bay Rowdies kits were brilliant.

[gkmacca]

15 hours ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

whilst allowing a damned Yankee white boy to humiliate him with a god awful voice over,

 

I'll have you know the voice was dubbed by Peter Serafinowicz, born in Gateacre.

[Frank Dacey]

14 hours ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

I know what you're saying Frank but Jairzinho was the best player in that great Brazilian side.

I was only 4 when the 58 world cup took place so remember nothing of it, but the clips I've seen suggest Pele was predominantly a goalscorer (6 in the 3 knock-out rounds). By 1970, his game had evolved and Jairzinho, who I agree was fantastic and, to me, came completely out of left-field, was like the Pele of 1958. I read this morning that Pele had 10 goal involvements in 1970, 4 goals and 6 assists. He set up Jairzinho for the winner in the group game against England and, memorably, Carlos Alberto for the 4th goal in the final.