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Welshman who faced Pelé in the 1958 Cup remembers the King’s 1st goal in World Cups: “He had everything”

Welshman who faced Pelé in the 1958 Cup remembers the King’s 1st goal in World Cups: “He had everything”

Pelé passed away on Thursday afternoon, aged 82, and tributes are not lacking for the King of Football. Cliff Jones, who made history at Tottenham, remembered when he faced the star in the 1958 World Cup, in the quarterfinals.

On June 19 of that year, the Brazilian team qualified for the semifinal of the competition, which was being held in Sweden. Brazil defeated Wales 1-0 at Nya Ullevi Stadion, in Gothenburg, with a goal by Pelé in the 28th minute of the second half. Incidentally, the goal was the first of the King in World Cups.

“Brazil were favorites and had great players, like Didi, Vavá, Garrincha. But there was a young man named Pelé, in one of his first matches for Brazil. As soon as he touched the ball you knew he had it all,” began 87-year-old former midfielder Cliff Jones.

“He scored. While we were disappointed to lose, it was special to be on the field at the same time as Pele to see the emergence of possibly the greatest player the world has ever seen. I would say right now that he really is the best player the world has ever seen. He was a special character on and off the field. Sadly, we lost one of the great ones.”

Twelve years later, it was Alan Mullery’s turn to have the privilege of having Pelé as his opponent. In the 1970 World Cup final, England and Brazil met at Estadio Jalisco, in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Jairzinho was the one who scored the winning goal for the national team and consecrated Brazil as three-time world champion.

However, Mullery recalls one scene in particular. At ten minutes of the first stage, Jairzinho received a pass from Carlos Alberto and crossed to Pelé, in the area. The King rose higher than everyone else and headed straight to the ground, but Gordon Banks jumped and stretched to avoid the goal. At this moment, the move considered by many to be the greatest defense in football was born.

“These are moments that people can never forget. That Brazil, I wouldn’t say it was unbeatable, we came close, but the players they had, the quality, were incredible, began Alan.

“I remember being 15 years old, sweeping the Fulham stands as part of the field team, turning on the TV, black and white, and watching this 17-year-old kid play for Brazil. Then, 12 years later, I was playing against him. It was a dream come true”, he concluded.

See photos of the King’s career and life

After a month at the Hospital Albert Einstein, in São Paulo, Pelé could not resist the complications arising from colon cancer, discovered in 2021.

In December last year, Pelé had been hospitalized for two days in the same place. He had been fighting the tumor since September of the same year, when he underwent surgery to remove it.


Source: Gazetaesportiva

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