Pelé passes away

Dummy Hoy

Angry Pissbum
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Jul 22, 2006
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It’s being widely reported that Pele has died at age 82.

certainly one of the GoATs in football history.
 

Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
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The first truly global superstar. Decades before Michael Jordan, Pele established the trend of the true global superstar, with endorsement contracts the world over and become instantly synonymous with the game he played. Almost anyone that has ever heard of the sport of soccer can tell you that Pele was a Brazilian player of it. In the international world, is there are more famous Brazilian than Pele? Is there are a more famous person from The Americas than Pele?

The GOAT debates really don't do him justice. People will say that he never played in Europe, which they mean that he never played on a club team in a European league. In Pele's day, he was a global sensation that defied the parameters of league play. He played hundreds of games against top European side, and his Santos club team would tour through Europe extensively as a traveling celebrity team, taking the best shots from every top side in Europe. The games were friendly in name only, the aura of the Brazilians and Pele himself was so tremendous when they would come into play that teams would go all-out trying to prove themselves against the world's greatest player. Pele's stats and records stand for themselves in terms of how productive he was against the best competition.

At the international level, which historically hangs on as a better record than his club performances, there is simply no more iconic player. Pele won three world cups, although was only a part of two finals, because he was injured. He won as a teenager, scoring two goals in the final at 17 years old, dazzling his way through Swedish defenders in a superb display of samba skill that would forever become the trademark for Brazilian footballers long after Pele retired. He won the World Cup in 1970, those canary yellow jersey's of Brazil being perfect for the early days of color TV, on one of the most iconic teams of all time, scoring a goal and assisting two others in the final. His feint around the keeper in a semi-final matchup with Uruguay, which he uncharacteristically bundled, is arguably more famous than any goal he actually scored.

There is debate about how important Pele was as a citizen, he was labeled by critics for being a sell-out, someone happy to use his fame to endorse anything as long as he is being paid. However, it's hard to imagine a better overall ambassador for the game of soccer, someone who showed the entire world the kind of artistry and joy that it can bring to all people, of all classes.
 
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SocrManiac

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Apr 15, 2006
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It’s bizarre how fates play out at times. His last days saw Argentina win the World Cup and a large portion of the population crown Messi over him. But for a few bounces of the ball he could have seen Brazil win another World Cup.

Pele was the name that everybody knew. People that hated soccer in the 80’s had heard of him. It’s difficult to imagine another athlete having that kind of reach before modern connectivity expanded the sports world.

His face belongs not just on footy’s Mt. Rushmore but sports in general. GOAT or not, he’s the game’s biggest star, and I don’t think he'll ever be supplanted.
 

trekfan55

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There are no words to describe Pelé and his impact on Soccer and the world. It's beyond statistics of any kind.

The game has changed a lot so it´s not easy to compare him to Messi or others in terms of who was better. But what he achieved in the global stage, all while playing at club level in Brazil is beyond anything.

The World Cup is a global spectacle seen by billions today and everyone knows who Messi is because of this. But Pelé had that before the World Cup was must see on TV. He also never played in the UCL or any other such events.

The world of Football/Soccer has lost an icon today.
 

bankshot1

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Growing up in the early 60s, most of us knew shit about soccer, we didn't play it or watch it, but we knew Pele.

A sad day for sports fans all over the world as one of the true members of sports royalty has passed.

RIP Pele
 

SoxFanInCali

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I was fortunate enough to see him play in person once for the Cosmos, something I've always cherished.

Up there with Ali among the most well-known sports personalities in history. As has been said above, even people that actively disliked the game still knew who he was.
 

joe dokes

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Jul 18, 2005
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I dont think it's overstating things to say that the rise of US soccer from complete and total afterthought to "player on the world stage" began when Pele took to the ratty painted-dirt field at Downing Stadium on Randall's Island to play for the New York Cosmos of the NASL in 1975. The progress has been far from linear, but he was at the beginning.
NASL: Pele's Debut With Cosmos 6/15/1975 - YouTube
 

Section30

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Aug 2, 2010
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I was privileged to to see him play for the Cosmos against the hometown Portland Timbers in 1975, I was 13 years old. They introduced the Timbers first, then the Cosmos individually, and Pele last. He had to run a lap around the pitch acknowledging each section before the crowd would stop roaring. He was slowed by bad knees and age but was still the smoothest player on the pitch. I was in the crowd of kids trying to get his autograph after the game and I was struck by the 1960's-70's surgery scars on his legs.

I was inspired to play and follow soccer for the rest of my life. There were no kids teams in Oregon in 75' so I joined a men's team and eventually played collegiate and city league soccer. I coached for 18 years and had a couple of kids make national teams.

My favorite interview question he received was, " What do you think about the overhead bicycle kick as a way to score?" He laughed and said, " It's a hard skill to master, I mean I've only scored that way 12 times myself." Big Smile.
 

rodderick

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Apr 24, 2009
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The first truly global superstar. Decades before Michael Jordan, Pele established the trend of the true global superstar, with endorsement contracts the world over and become instantly synonymous with the game he played. Almost anyone that has ever heard of the sport of soccer can tell you that Pele was a Brazilian player of it. In the international world, is there are more famous Brazilian than Pele? Is there are a more famous person from The Americas than Pele?

The GOAT debates really don't do him justice. People will say that he never played in Europe, which they mean that he never played on a club team in a European league. In Pele's day, he was a global sensation that defied the parameters of league play. He played hundreds of games against top European side, and his Santos club team would tour through Europe extensively as a traveling celebrity team, taking the best shots from every top side in Europe. The games were friendly in name only, the aura of the Brazilians and Pele himself was so tremendous when they would come into play that teams would go all-out trying to prove themselves against the world's greatest player. Pele's stats and records stand for themselves in terms of how productive he was against the best competition.

At the international level, which historically hangs on as a better record than his club performances, there is simply no more iconic player. Pele won three world cups, although was only a part of two finals, because he was injured. He won as a teenager, scoring two goals in the final at 17 years old, dazzling his way through Swedish defenders in a superb display of samba skill that would forever become the trademark for Brazilian footballers long after Pele retired. He won the World Cup in 1970, those canary yellow jersey's of Brazil being perfect for the early days of color TV, on one of the most iconic teams of all time, scoring a goal and assisting two others in the final. His feint around the keeper in a semi-final matchup with Uruguay, which he uncharacteristically bundled, is arguably more famous than any goal he actually scored.

There is debate about how important Pele was as a citizen, he was labeled by critics for being a sell-out, someone happy to use his fame to endorse anything as long as he is being paid. However, it's hard to imagine a better overall ambassador for the game of soccer, someone who showed the entire world the kind of artistry and joy that it can bring to all people, of all classes.
The whole "never played in Europe" stuff should be laughed at out of hand by mere virtue of the fact that there were more World Cup champions playing in the São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro State Championships between 1958-1970 than in the entirety of Europe's top national leagues combined. Pelé played were the sport was performed at the highest level in his time. 1960s Santos, Botafogo, Palmeiras and Cruzeiro could all have won the Champions League were it possible for them to take part in it.

Pelé is Pelé. His combo of individual quality, team achievements, fame and influence over the sport is pretty much impossible to beat, not only in football but in every other athletic endeavor. People will sit at the bar and discuss him vs. Maradona or Messi and one can have their personal preference, but in 2250 whether football is still played or not, we'll still be at the bar talking about Pelé. Rest in peace.
 

jon abbey

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The only team I've ever had season tickets to was the Cosmos of the late seventies/early eighties, I was very young but my dad and I went to basically every home game so I was lucky enough to see Pelé play live probably 30 or 40 times. Much like the other world-class superstars on the team (Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto most notably, the captains of the previous two World Cup-winning teams in 1970 and 1974), he was past his prime, but it was still clear even to 10 year old me that we were in the presence of someone special. RIP sir.
 

Deathofthebambino

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Apr 12, 2005
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Not the biggest soccer fan in the world, but this hangs in the middle of my conference room at the office:

59491
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

Found no thrill on Blueberry Hill
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Sep 9, 2008
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My first real exposure to Pele was Sly Stalone movie, Victory. My mom took me to that movie. I think I was like 11. I loved it, and the Pele parts were the best parts. Watching Pele nutmeg the nazis.

I think I've always loved footy because of that movie. And though there's no way to tell for sure, I think that the thing that just barely got me over the finish line to membership in this fine institution had nothing to do with the Red Sox but probably more to do with posts in Gazza. So, you know, somewhere on the list of Pele's accomplishments is making it so that the rest of you have to deal with me.
 

Jake Peavy's Demons

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2 out of 3 of my childhood idols I looked up to have all passed away 6 months of each other (Bill Russell, July 2022). Willie Mays, please keep going a little longer..
 

cornwalls@6

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I was fortunate enough to see him play in person once for the Cosmos, something I've always cherished.

Up there with Ali among the most well-known sports personalities in history. As has been said above, even people that actively disliked the game still knew who he was.
I remember what a big deal it was when they signed him. He was, as mentioned above, a true global superstar. That seemed like the moment soccer was really going to take off in the U.S. as a spectator sport. Didn't really happen, but it was a huge buzz at the time('77, I believe?).
 

Ale Xander

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Oct 31, 2013
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Pele is not just an icon, he is THE icon for the world’s most popular sport.

RIP Edson
 

RG33

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I hated soccer growing up (and now only really follow the World Cup) but knew of Pele from my Dad’s references about him. He was a larger-than-life figure to me in the 1980’s, obviously past his prime, but still a legend. He seemed to me as a kid to be what Babe Ruth had been 40-50 years prior to the world. Rest in peace.
 

reggiecleveland

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I think he may be the best athlete, forget football player, of all time.

Considering the number of players and popularity of the sport, being the best soccer player in the world is the most difficult accomplishment in sports. Nothing is nearly as difficult.
For him to come from where he was from, and do what he did so young, and at a later age, in the most popular sport there is? GOAT. For a long long time there was no argument it was him. Even when Maradonna came along the argument was if Maradonna was as good for about two years as Pele was for a decade.
 

Leskanic's Thread

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I played youth soccer in the 90s and I know I went to an early-stage Olympic match at Harvard stadium back in '84...but still, my earliest memory of the beautiful game was Pele's Soccer on the Atari 2600. Reasonably certain I've spent more time playing 3-a-sides in that game than all matches in all FIFA variants since then...and I've played a lot of FIFA.

A roundabout way of saying his reach as an ambassador of the game spread across so many different avenues. RIP to a legend.
 

InstaFace

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Sep 27, 2016
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When I was ~8, someone gave me Pele's autobiography, and it was pretty inspiring. After that I fell in love with the sport, and of following the legends of sport in general. I played World Cup video games and started watching the World Cup. I can't do justice to some of the other tributes in this thread, but I can at least testify to being one of the millions he introduced to the joy of football. He made great strides in making it a truly global sport, probably the only truly global sport, and both FIFA and players have him to thank for a nontrivial chunk of their paychecks.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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Mrs. R. is wearing my Santos shirt today that we got at the stadium about 8 years ago. I knew something was up when she was rummaging in the closet early today. Such a huge personality and star Pele was, in a relatively unassuming stadium.
 

Zososoxfan

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Adios al rey!

I've spent some time watching Pele highlights during the WC these past months, and I honestly think he's a combo of Maradona and Messi, but even better. First, let's start off with the fact that the guy is two-footed--that's what makes him better than the Argentine lefties who are notoriously one-footed. He has Messi's ability to see the game, score individual goals, bamboozle defenders 1v1, but still be willing to create for his teammates. However, he's more skilled as a poacher than Messi. He also has Maradona's flair. In my younger days, I always hated that Pele was more famous and considered better than Diego and Lionel, but age has made me less emotional about these things. Messi is better than Diego, and it is Messi and Pele at the top of the list and everyone else is vying for 2nd.
 

67YAZ

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Did the NYT pre-write Pele’s obituary…over 20 years ago? That’s, in and of itself, is a reflection of his towering cultural position.

 

Blizzard of 1978

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Sep 12, 2022
503
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My late dad took me to a New York Cosmos game in the late seventies. He wanted to show Pele and get me into soccer. I did play one year after that and loved the sport. Always keep hoping the New England Revolution will take off someday big. R.I.P Pele.