A Son of the Rock

To those of us of a certain age (who can remember the World Cup of 1970) the news that Pelé has died brings with it an overwhelming sense of sadness. In that Brazil team of greats – Gerson, Tostão, Jairzinho, Carlos Alberto, Rivelino, Clodoaldo – he still stood out.

That outrageous dummy he sold on the Uruguyan keeper in the semi-final, his headered goal in the final, the precisely weighted pass into space for Carlos Alberto – not in sight on the TV screen – to run onto for that sublime fourth goal against Italy, all at the end of a glorious passing move involving what seemed like the whole team. And it was his third World Cup win.* No one equals never mind surpasses that last statistic.

Was he the greatest footballer ever? It is invidious to compare players from different eras against each other.

But the word legend hardly does Pelé justice.

*Even if he was injured in the group stage in 1962 he was still in the squad and received a winner’s medal retrospectively.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé,) 23/10/1940 – 29/12/2022. So it goes.