Pele and Jackson are similar in terms of uniting world during their career.

Happy new year gift from fg

Greatest and icon

Or 70

Depart from party of evil. Seun should be rewarding FTC na. Shey make I drop aza ni osewa? Pls let us all vote for peter obi for the betterment of our country.

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Pele's greatest career moments: 1,000th goal, 1970 World Cup and stopping a civil war
Matt O'Connor-Simpson
29 Dec 2022 20:14+01:00

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Brazil
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Brazil and Santos legend Pele died on Thursday. GOAL remembers the greatest moments of his incredible career.

No player did more to popularise football's reputation as the beautiful game than the immortal Pele.

The only male or female player to win three World Cups, the free-scoring forward also spearheaded one of the greatest club side's footballing history.

His death leaves a devastating void in global sport, and below, GOAL recalls some of the standout moments of a once-in-a-lifetime career.

Pele 1958Getty Images
A goal on his debut... twice
Pele made his professional debut all the way back in 1956. Aged just 15, the legendary forward lined up for Santos - he had only signed a few months earlier following a successful trial - against rivals Corinthians.

Pele scored in the 7-1 victory, kickstarting a golden era at the club that would span 18 years. It wasn't his best strike, with the teenager simply tapping home a rebound in the box.

Then, in July 1957, Pele opened his international scoring account - against Argentina no less. He was far from an established name in the Santos side at this stage, but impressed Brazil manager Sylvio Pirillo in a friendly organised to raise money for Sao Paulo's new stadium.

A baby-faced Pele still managed to find the net at the Maracana, making it 2-1 to the Selecao.

Pele 1958 World Cup Getty Images
Birth of a superstar
Pele introduced himself to a global football audience at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. After featuring just once in the group stage, his tournament exploded in the quarter-final stage, when he burst through the Wales backline to secure a 1-0 win and his side's progression.

Things got even better in the semi-finals when Pele's hat trick helped Brazil down the free-scoring Just Fontaine and France.

And his legend was secured in the final when he grabbed a brace as the Selecao smashed hosts Sweden 5-2. His first goal in that game was typical of his brilliance. After taking down a deep cross in the box he dinked the ball over brutish Swedish defender Bengt Gustavsson, before watching it drop down from a great height and finding the bottom corner on the volley.

Pele Santos Getty Images
Continental champion
While Pele's relentless touring schedule prevented him from winning the Copa America with Brazil - he only appeared in one tournament (1959) and managed to secure the Golden Boot - the forward did taste continental glory at club level.

In 1962, with the scores level after two legs in the Copa Libertadores final against Penarol, Pele carried Santos to victory in a Playoff contested on neutral ground at Estadio Monumental. He grabbed a brace, including a game-changing strike just after half time, as Santos earned their first ever South American title.

A year later, the Alvinegro retained their crown, with Pele scoring in the final against Boca Juniors.

Victory in these two games booked Santos a place in the Intercontinental Cup against European opposition. They made light work of their opponents both years, first beating Benfica - Pele scored five goals over the two legs - and then getting the better of AC Milan in another playoff.

Five in a row
Throughout the 1960s Pele spearheaded Santos' greatest ever side, appropriately nicknamed Os Santasticos.

The Dream Team's list of accomplishments is endless, and their diminutive attacking fulcrum was always at the centre of things.

Winning five Serie A titles in a row between 1961 and 1965 was one of Santos' crowning achievements, with Pele securing the top scorer award in three of these seasons.

1962 also saw Lula's charges secure the 'first treble in the world'. During this whirlwind year, Pele and Co. won the Copa Libertadores, Campeonato Paulista and Taca Brasil. Not bad.

Pele fansGetty Images
Stopping a civil war?
As Pele's star rose, Santos began to prioritise lucrative international tours over silverware, a strange concept to get your head around from a modern perspective.

On one of these overseas trips, the Santasticos found themselves in Nigeria when the country was in the midst of a brutal civil war with secessionist state Biafra.

When Pele and his teammates rolled into Lagos, legend has it that the guns stopped for 48 hours, so both sides of the conflict could witness the Super Eagles play out a 2-2 draw with the touring side. Needless to say, Pele scored both goals.

onez:
The surprising thing is that professors too fell for APC scam. We must do away with APC and PDP to progress in this country

gbaja carry them handicap. Lol.

90FullyBack:
Like a clown?

yes. Not only in UK ma. Even here in Nigeria private schools, u dare not touch the students. During our own time, we fear our teachers, but now, students don't fear teachers again. They spoiled them finished just because they want their parents money. No discipline again. Many of them pass in d class not because they know book, but money buys them d result.

U will be dancing for d children.

This is Nigeria. Everybody is a criminal.

LeoDeKing:
He has done it as Lagos state governor.

He will do it as a president.

Lagos is greater than all 5 SE states and 13 states in the North combined.

Nigerians have no doubt in his ability.

One of the contestants was the governor of one of the SE states. As I type, he has ran away from the state he had governed for 8 years. Guess where he resides. Lagos state.

Another name for that is FAILURE.

God forbid he gets close to our presidency.

pls tell me tinubu achievement as Lagos state governor.

Oluwaburna

omowolewa:
Nice,

If he was able to achieve these through 3 Govrs, I think he can achieve his promises through competent Ministers and Stewards.

who

We all want a divorce.

One chance.

Imole osun

Hmmmmm. Nigeria my country.

They don scam baba alagbado

Ezeego1:


So why was the penalty given since you can attest that it wasn't a penalty in the first place

ask him the one against Poland that messi already lost d ball on area, and the goal keeper contested, yet they gave penalty.

Election time.

They will soon relegate musk as Twitter CEO. He should go ask mark wetin him eyes see

And their governor keep following someone he can father.

Sofialuv:
how much

reply my mail

Any girl wey go join me to celebrate go receive good price. I dey lonely.

How can I unread this news.

Rip. I dedicate this FTC to the victims. May God console their family

What is busted here. So without obi support,they can invest or why are u guys still hailing tinubu even after he left office since 2007 and u can't credit fashola that changed the look of Lagos.

iSense247:
No SENSIBLE Christian will vote APC Muslim-Muslim ticket at this time in Nigeria when there's a good and balanced alternative in Peter Obi. We real Yoruba Christians of Southwest say NO to muslim-terrorist ticket. You can't Islamise us again.

let forget about religion. No sensible Nigerians will vote for tinubu or apc if truly they want better country.

Still d besr among others.

Saner Nigerians won't root for this kind of leaders as president if not for poverty. They don't think about future. They all want to eat alone and forget about upcoming generation.

Wow. Olubecky. Business man. cr7 caused a lot. Can u imagine, fans has demanded that glazer family should leave,but they prove stubborn. Just ordinary cr7 interviewed,they put d club on sale.

Next campaign go maaaad