Brazil’s soccer king Pele: 1940-2022

 

Beethoven was born for music and Pele was born for football. Just as Beethoven means more than just a few melodies, Pele means more than just goals, not statistics. Pele is the face of a genre of Brazilian football whose players really set the tone with the ball. Samba tunes. Unbelievable skill, blazing speed, and incredible ball control. The yellow-green jersey was popularized all over the world by the Brazil team in the 70s. Pele was the principal artist of that orchestra. He turned himself into a strong athlete long before the invention of modern training. Pele used to shoot like a bullet, bicycle kick. Pele’s Brazil didn’t play football, they went on adventures with the ball. The real name of Pele is Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

Pele was born on October 23, 1940. Father Dondinho used to play football, but injury stopped his dream. Pele was obsessed with football since childhood. Mother did not agree. She saw her husband struggling for life. Playing football did not cover the cost of running the stomach.  In the fight against poverty,  Pele also had to work as a shoe polisher.

Fortunately, Pele’s football talent caught the eye of De Brito. On his recommendation, at the age of fourteen, he joined the Bauru Athletic Club in Sao Paulo. It didn’t take long for the talent to win everyone’s hearts.  Within two years, he joined Santos, the club that made him known worldwide. He was in this club for 18 years. Pele was affectionately known as ‘Black Pearl‘.

Pele’s rise to the world stage since the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. He could not play early due to an injury. He was sent off for the first time against the Soviet Union in the last group match. Vava scored two goals and Pele arranged the second goal. Brazil won 1-0 in the quarter-finals against Wales. Goal scorer Pele, his first goal in the World Cup. A hat-trick against France in the semi-final, and a pair of goals against Sweden in the final. Brazil beat Sweden 5-2 to win the cup. Pele’s incredible bicycle kick goal in the final has been enshrined in the football museum.

In the next World Cup in 1962, Pele was the best footballer in the world at the age of 21. Brazil won 2-0 in the first match against Mexico. Pele showed why he is the best after cutting past four men, beating the goalkeeper, and scoring. But unfortunately, he pulled out of the World Cup due to thigh muscle strain. Without him, however, Brazil won the World Cup for the second time in a row. In the 1966 World Cup, opposing defenders began to look at his feet. He was forced to leave the field after being hit by Portugal’s defenders. Brazil exited the World Cup after losing 1-3 to Portugal. As a result, Pele was disappointed and said that he never wanted to play in the World Cup again.

But Pele returned to his glory. 

1970, the opponent England in the group stage. Pele’s head is sure to hit the net as if flying and the ball was saved by goalkeeper Gordon Banks. Many called this save ‘the best save of the century’. The photo of Pele and Bobby Moore exchanging jerseys at the end of the match is still famous today. Brazil defeated Peru 4-2, Uruguay 3-1, and reached the final against Italy. Pele scored with a quick header. Italy crushed, 4-1, in unstoppable samba football. Having won the cup three times, the Jules Rimet Cup became permanent for Brazil.

Pele then retired from international football and Played for Santos. Santos put away his number 10 jersey forever when he retired from his beloved club at the age of 34. In ’75, Pele signed for the Cosmos Club of America for a record fee. He played for this club in Kolkata. 1977 He retired utterly from soccer. He later became a Sports Ambassador and Brazil’s Minister of Sports.

The appeal of Pele is eternal. As long as there is football, Pele’s name will be permanently in the minds of people. Because he is a legendary footballer and king of football.

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