Pele has passed away

Rest in peace legend. True legend. Legend of legends.

I will remember this day as a reminder of how different American culture is from the rest of the World. Came to work today, learned Pele died and no one cares. Many don't even know who the guy is. I haven't felt chiller loneliness in awhile.
 
Thread needs far more videos. The caf tends to do Pelè down for the most part and that’s mostly down to a lack of exposure because his skilset and athletic prowess remain extraordinary and unrivalled to this day and it doesn’t take a great deal of footage to have him seen in a different light. Whether you have him 1st, 2nd or 3rd all-time, there’s next to no question he is the one player who maximised the most skills (completeness) in one body; even what he wasn’t the best at (let’s use dribbling relative to Maradona and Messi) he was an 8-9/10 at across the board, which is unprecedented.

Hopefully hidden archive footage (Santos) finds it way to the public domain with his passing; his story remains untold in a great deal of ways as his actual peak was in the 60’s where he got bludgeoned out of World Cups.

There really aren’t many of the traditional top 5 or even 10 left, but 82 is a good innings, at least.

RIP O Rei

 
Rest in peace legend. True legend. Legend of legends.

I will remember this day as a reminder of how different American culture is from the rest of the World. Came to work today, learned Pele died and no one cares. Many don't even know who the guy is. I haven't felt chiller loneliness in awhile.

Seconded.
 
Rest in peace legend. True legend. Legend of legends.

I will remember this day as a reminder of how different American culture is from the rest of the World. Came to work today, learned Pele died and no one cares. Many don't even know who the guy is. I haven't felt chiller loneliness in awhile.
As a Canadian, it's the same thing. Not a announcement on the radio. Nothing. You're not alone. Their are some of us out there.

Rest in peace legend!
 
Rest in peace legend. True legend. Legend of legends.

I will remember this day as a reminder of how different American culture is from the rest of the World. Came to work today, learned Pele died and no one cares. Many don't even know who the guy is. I haven't felt chiller loneliness in awhile.
Definitely an age limit over here on who remembers Pele. The younger one is, they will not know him.
 
“To perfect his soccer, Pelé took geometry lessons and learned how to play chess,” said Giora Breil, head of the Pepsi‐Cola worldwide youth program and the men who worked closely with Pete in the World Cup last stunner. “Actually, when he plays soccer it is like he is playing chess. He can see five, to 10 moves ahead what his opponent will do.”

New York Times(1975)

“I cannot err because many people use me for an example. But I am human and I am. obviously capable of error. The biggest fear that I have is to be something that is beyond my capacity.”

Pele(1975)

“You need balance and speed of mind and strenght there is something else hat God has given me. It's an extra instinct I haves for the game. Sometimes I can take the ball and no, one can foresee any danger. And, then, two or three seconds later, there is a goal. This doesn't make me proud; it Makes me humble because it is a talent that God gave me.”

Pele(1975)

“The gift from God and the willingness to be a perfectionist”

Pele about his secrect to be a top footballer(1975)
 
A football god, may he rest in peace. Wish i could have watched him play. In my father's eyes, Pele wasn't just the greatest of all time. He was a myth, a precious memory he kept close to his heart and cherished. His goals against Wales and Sweden in 1958 are ridiculous. The latter is probably the most beautiful goal scored in a WC final.
 
Rest in peace legend. True legend. Legend of legends.

I will remember this day as a reminder of how different American culture is from the rest of the World. Came to work today, learned Pele died and no one cares. Many don't even know who the guy is. I haven't felt chiller loneliness in awhile.
Thats more a function of time than anything else. Everyone in the US knew who Pele was in the 70s.
 
RIP Pele

As a kid I always remember watching a video of Brazil's famous teams and the clips of him were amazing. A genius.
 
Never fully appreciated football until I started reading and watching the King, one player I would have loved to see live. So sad :(

GOAT and his legacy in football will last the test of time.
 
The GOAT thing emerged because of him. The GOATfather of all GOATs, chronologically speaking at least. RIP legend.
 
Thread needs far more videos. The caf tends to do Pelè down for the most part and that’s mostly down to a lack of exposure because his skilset and athletic prowess remain extraordinary and unrivalled to this day and it doesn’t take a great deal of footage to have him seen in a different light. Whether you have him 1st, 2nd or 3rd all-time, there’s next to no question he is the one player who maximised the most skills (completeness) in one body; even what he wasn’t the best at (let’s use dribbling relative to Maradona and Messi) he was an 8-9/10 at across the board, which is unprecedented.

Hopefully hidden archive footage (Santos) finds it way to the public domain with his passing; his story remains untold in a great deal of ways as his actual peak was in the 60’s where he got bludgeoned out of World Cups.

There really aren’t many of the traditional top 5 or even 10 left, but 82 is a good innings, at least.

RIP O Rei



I was going to bring up this video. How old must Diego and Pele been there ? They made that look so effortless. Professionals in their prime would struggle to keep it going for as long as they did with so little movement. Top top class and a testament that he had a natural ability.
 
RIP Legend. I still remember the way my classmates talked about him when we first started following football around 2002 World cup, You'd think they were talking about some mythical hero from Greek literature.
 
RIP Legend. I still remember the way my classmates talked about him when we first started following football around 2002 World cup, You'd think they were talking about some mythical hero from Greek literature.

I can imagine, see how they speak of R9 in that thread and it was just 20 years ago :D
 
He was always the player that true football fans aspired to. A wonderful individual by all accounts, who’s ceaseless work for charity and the local communities will never be forgotten, but he’ll best be remembered for the wonderful moments of the Mexico 70 WC. RIP
 
RIP to a huge legend and an icon.

It is sad to think that in just over 2 years Maradona, Rossi, Muller and now Pele have died. And not that long ago Eusebio, Di Stefano, Cruyff and Carlos Alberto all passed away within a relatively short period.
 
Just learning that he had to be convinced to join the Brasil squad for 1970. Amazing that he went on to win it.

Opposition tried to end his career many times. He was literally kicked out of the 1966 World Cup. Carried on playing even though he could barely walk due to there being no substitutions back then.
 
Opposition tried to end his career many times. He was literally kicked out of the 1966 World Cup. Carried on playing even though he could barely walk due to there being no substitutions back then.
Absolutely surreal.
 
Definitely an age limit over here on who remembers Pele. The younger one is, they will not know him.

Disagree. It's just America and Canada. Although soccer has grown massively over the years in America and Canada, it's just so insignificant compared to Europe and South America. Countries like England,germany,spain,argentina,brazil etc etc (most of the world actually) have soccer as a cultural impact. People who don't watch soccer in Germany still know Bayern Munich and what they represent. Most people in America have never even heard of Bayern Munich or Man United. However, it's the same also for American sports in Europe, when Tom Brady retired nobody in Europe knew or cared. Everyone that's European or South American at my university in Milan knows who Pele is (even the non soccer fans)
 
RIP to a huge legend and an icon.

It is sad to think that in just over 2 years Maradona, Rossi, Muller and now Pele have died. And not that long ago Eusebio, Di Stefano, Cruyff and Carlos Alberto all passed away within a relatively short period.
We’ve probably lost the biggest names of twentieth century football in a little over 2 years. I can’t think of anyone more famous than the brilliant individuals you’ve named there. It’s heartbreaking to read the list.
 
Disagree. It's just America and Canada. Although soccer has grown massively over the years in America and Canada, it's just so insignificant compared to Europe and South America. Countries like England,germany,spain,argentina,brazil etc etc (most of the world actually) have soccer as a cultural impact. People who don't watch soccer in Germany still know Bayern Munich and what they represent. Most people in America have never even heard of Bayern Munich or Man United. However, it's the same also for American sports in Europe, when Tom Brady retired nobody in Europe knew or cared. Everyone that's European or South American at my university in Milan knows who Pele is (even the non soccer fans)
As someone stated earlier, Americans knew who Pele was in the 70s due to the popularity (albeit fleeting) of the NASL. Those games would regularly have higher attendances than NFL games located in the same city. As I stated, the younger someone is, the knowledge of Pele wanes, but boomers &, to a much lesser extent Gen X, are aware of Pele. Say 40 years & older.
 
This is a really good tribute from Neymar



Before Pelé, “10” was just a number. I’ve read this phrase somewhere, at some point in my life. But this sentence, beautiful, is incomplete. I would say before Pelé football was just a sport. Pelé has changed it all. He turned football into art, into entertainment He gave voice to the poor, to the blacks and especially: He gave visibility to Brazil. Soccer and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He’s gone but his magic remains. Pelé is FOREVER!!