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Rio de Janeiro: Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in October 1940, Pele went on to become the best-loved footballer of his or any other generation.

A veteran of four World Cups, Pele was a member of winning squads in 1958, 1962 and 1970, his sumptuous range of skills making him the glittering totem of Brazil football’s golden age.

After playing his first game for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956, Pele earned a call-up to the national team a year later, scoring on his debut against Argentina. In 1958, he was picked for the World Cup in Sweden.

His participation at the finals had been a matter of great debate in Brazil, many questioning whether the slender-framed teenager was ready for the big test. Nursing a knee injury on arrival in Sweden, Pele was unavailable for Brazil’s opening two matches.

He might also have been forced to sit out their third, against the Soviet Union, had coach Vicente Feola decided to heed the advice of a team psychologist who had urged that Pele was ‘infantile’ and not fit for duty.

In the event Feola opted to play the youngster, and it paid off. Working in tandem with Garrincha, Pele gave a virtuoso display as the Soviets were vanquished 2-0.

Once in the team, Pele made it impossible for him to be removed. A winning goal in the quarter final against Wales and a hattrick in the 5-2 semi-final victory over France were followed by two more in the final over Sweden.

Still only 17, Pele had become the youngest World Cup winner. The next two tournaments were to be unhappy experiences, however.

Twentyone by the time of the 1962 World Cup in Chile, an older, stronger Pele had been expected to take the tournament by storm.

He gave a tantalising glimpse of what he was capable of with an electric individual goal against Mexico in Brazil’s 2-0 win.

But he aggravated an existing injury in the second game, and was forced to sit out the remainder of the tournament as his countrymen successfully defended their title.

Pele’s frustration that injury had limited his appearances in Chile were nothing compared to the sickening disappointment of England in 1966 where, unprotected by referees, he was literally kicked out of the tournament.

Brutally assaulted by Bulgaria’s defence to the extent that he was forced to miss the second match, the nadir came against Portugal. Two crippling challenges left a tearful Pele being carried from the Goodison Park pitch swearing never to play in a World Cup again.

“I don’t want to finish my life as an invalid,” he said.

Thankfully, Pele’s disconsolate vow was to prove an empty threat. He returned four years later in Mexico to spearhead what is regarded to be the greatest team of all time. The 1970 tournament — and Pele and Brazil’s winning contribution to it — have become synonymous with the beautiful game.

It is a testament to the quality of Pele’s play in Mexico that he is remembered for the goals he didn’t score as much as for the ones he did.

An outrageous attempt to lob Czechoslovakia’s goalkeeper from inside his own half, and a magical dummy against Uruguay in the semi-final are among the finest moments of World Cup history.
 
(AFP)