⚽️🇧🇷⭐⭐⭐ PELE KING OF FUTBOL 🇧🇷⚽️ LETERNÉL

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PELE WAS THE BEST 1. He could score with either leg. He scored over 1,000 goals, goals of all types, colors and shapes. From outside the box, inside the box, volleys, scissor kicks, diving headers, soft, hard, over the goalie's reach, upper corner, lower corner. You think of it, he did it. 2. He was excepcional with headers. He would usually out jump taller defenders. He was like a fish in midair, able to get higher once he jumped. Observe carefully his header-goal against Italy in the finals of the World Cup México 1970. 3. Physically, he was impecable. Strong, fast, quick, powerful, with remarkable endurance. 4. Technically, Pelé was masterful. His control was awe inspiring. Pelé made it look easy, natural, joyous. He could dribble past a cloud of defenders like a hot knife through butter. 5. Tactically, Pelé had no flaws. He would move knowingly on the field, commanding his teammates, understanding where they would be, occupying spaces, opening the game as needed. Watch him control and blindingly pass the ball to Carlos Alberto for Brazil's fourth goal in the final against Italy in the World Cup México 1970. Simply delicious! 6. He was courageous. Most of the time, when he stepped on the field, Pelé was a marked man. Teams would have their top defender shadow him constantly. He played most of his career without the benefit of the disciplinary cards, they were instituted in 1970, Pelé's last World Cup. The referee's "culture" of the time, allow for much more rough play. Pelé learn to defend himself against tough defenders and never backed down. 7. Pelé played on fields that were not the best by today's standards. The ball would bounce here an there, responding to the unevenness and holes on the field. It was much more difficult to make a good pass, much more difficult to control the ball and yet, Pelé shone with the light of a genius. 8. Pelé won many national titles, international titles and the World Cup three times. He is still today the youngest player to play in a World Cup final (17 years old at Sweden 1958) and score (two goals). 9. Finally, Pelé was FIFA's best ambassador of the game. An example for the youth of the future and most decent human being. And who could beat that smile? I saw him score the most remarkable goal I have ever witnessed... Lima was all up in a buzz as the news spread like wild fire about the arrival of Santos of Brazil with Pelé. Santos was going to play against Alianza Lima the Peruvian champion. The excitement increased as Alianza announced the hiring of an Uruguayan defender named Souza just for the match. Souza's job, of course, was to shadow Pelé all game long. Alianza paid Souza the enormous amount (in those days) of $500 dollars just for the one game, all other expenses (travel, stay, etc.) covered. It was summer, so the game was going to be played at night at the "Estadio Nacional." As the game progressed, Souza, a tall, black, strong and agile player was doing a very good job of shadowing Pelé. Souza, being from Uruguay, was schooled in the ways and manners of their style of play. That is, all nonsense and as rough as the referee would allow and more. It was almost half time, Pelé was next to the touch line near midfield watching his goalie kick the ball long and high. As the ball fell towards him, Pelé smoothly chess trapped it and allow it to roll down onto the field in front of him. Souza jumped on the ball but Pelé was first. With his back towards Souza, Pelé heeled the short bounce of the ball over Souza's head. Fast as lightening, Pelé turned around, his eyes riveted on the ball as it was falling down passed Souza. He quickly realized that Villanueva, Alianza's goalkeeper, about forty meters away, was way out of his line. In a flash, Pelé volley the ball. It described a laser like parabola over the surprised humanity of Villanueva and into the back of the net! It was magnificent! Extraordinary! Amazing! An instant hush fell all over the stadium, as if all those human minds needed time to really process and accept was they had just witnessed. And then, then, everybody stood up and applauded and applauded and applauded. I still can hear them. Father, may you rest in peace, thank you for taking me that night to the stadium. Your loving son, always. Pelé, Pelé WAS AND IS THE BEST!