Pele's Life Drawing to a Close

[Albert Quixall 3,757]

I don't know if anyone else on here saw him play, but when I was kid in 1966, I went with my dad and granddad to watch Brazil play Bulgaria at Goodison Park. The first World Cup game I ever saw. On the way, I heard all about the magical Brazilians and of the great Pele. I remember it like yesterday. He scored that day and so did Garrincha, another player we all wanted to see. It wasn't a pretty game as the Bulgarians roughly handled Pele who got no protection from the referee. He hobbled off and couldn't play in the next game against Hungary. He was back for the last game against Portugal and he was mauled by the Portuguese defenders to such an extent than all he could do was limp along the touchline. No subs in those days. How he made the full 90, I have no idea but I was close enough to see the look of pain on his face.

Now he's in a hospice with, apparently, no hope left. Modern fans can be quick to dismiss Pele as overrated, but they are wrong. Anything Messi or Rolando could do, Pele was doing it before they were born. I wish him peace at the close of his life and as he draws his last breath in the world, I hope he hears the roar of the crowd in his ears cheering him on.

[hdcantona 8,526]

No longer responding to chemo I read earlier, very sad

[Pap1918 1,153]

On 03/12/2022 at 20:15, Albert Quixall said:

I don't know if anyone else on here saw him play, but when I was kid in 1966, I went with my dad and granddad to watch Brazil play Bulgaria at Goodison Park. The first World Cup game I ever saw. On the way, I heard all about the magical Brazilians and of the great Pele. I remember it like yesterday. He scored that day and so did Garrincha, another player we all wanted to see. It wasn't a pretty game as the Bulgarians roughly handled Pele who got no protection from the referee. He hobbled off and couldn't play in the next game against Hungary. He was back for the last game against Portugal and he was mauled by the Portuguese defenders to such an extent than all he could do was limp along the touchline. No subs in those days. How he made the full 90, I have no idea but I was close enough to see the look of pain on his face.

Now he's in a hospice with, apparently, no hope left. Modern fans can be quick to dismiss Pele as overrated, but they are wrong. Anything Messi or Rolando could do, Pele was doing it before they were born. I wish him peace at the close of his life and as he draws his last breath in the world, I hope he hears the roar of the crowd in his ears cheering him on.

I never watched him alive ,but I was interested in  everything what he created at the pitch. A lot of games and hundred of details in technique. Pele implemented 99% of the technique the players likes of Zidan,Cruyff,Ronaldihno,Ronaldo and many other TOP players became the famous with.  He was and still is the most versatile footballer ever to practice  this game .He was a decent goalkeeper ,defender,midfielder,winger and top finisher. Some people would say that the football was so different ,but all of them are massively wrong. 100 of Mess's goals should be not allowed in that time-the off side rule was different.The height of ball, the shoes design and foremost the level of medicine in therms of reaching the top form ,recovering .The more brutal game allowed in the past to add.