The clips that shows why Pele was football’s greatest of all time after his death aged 82
The clips that show why Pele was football’s greatest of all time… a ridiculous dummy to bamboozle the goalkeeper, defence-splitting runs, World Cup glory and bucket-loads of great goals
The world is mourning an icon after Pele’s death aged 82, but also celebrating a remarkable life of man blessed with talent like no other.
Fans from recent generations will not have been able to watch the Brazilian genius in full flight, but fortunately there is still plenty of footage out there to enjoy.
Regarded by many as the greatest footballer to ever play the game, cast your eye over the clips that show just what a phenomenon he was.
Pele was a phenomenon and many regard him as the greatest footballer of all time
Timeless Pele goals
Pele is best known for performing on the global stage, lighting up the World Cup on numerous occasions and winning it three times.
He spearheaded Brazil’s triumphs in 1958, 1962 and 1970, scoring some brilliant goals along the way.
From a stunning free-kick that left the goalkeeper rooted in the ground, to his knee up and volley against France and the salmon-like leap to head past the Italians in 1970, here are five of his best goals.
An outrageous dummy
That Brazilian flair and sense of fun came to the fore with Pele on the pitch.
This incredible dummy against Uruguay showed not only the forward’s raw speed but also his cunning, anticipation and the ability to think two steps ahead.
What happened after the dummy was an uncharacteristic miss, but even the greats aren’t perfect.
World Cup moments
Big players forge their reputations on the grandest stage and that is always where Pele excelled.
This clip shows an array of everything he could offer. It was not just the predatory instinct for scoring goals that set Pele apart.
He could beat half a dozen defenders on a mazy run, show timing and poise – as he did by feeding Carlos Alberto a perfectly weighted pass for one of the iconic World Cup goals, and would belie his smaller frame to out-jump centre-backs.
A Santos superstar
Despite fielding offers to join Europe’s elite clubs, Pele spent almost two decades with his boyhood side Santos.
That’s not to say they were inferior, quite the contrary, and this clip shows them against Benfica when Pele was 21 in the 1962 UEFA International Cup final.
Over two legs, he scored five goals and was the clear difference between the two giants of the club game at the time.