Pele. Four letters. One name. One entire world of social and sporting enchantment. This was the legacy of the man and the footballer. His genius, personality and humility connected with not only fans of all ages around the world but with millions for whom the game meant next-to-nothing.
Wherever he went he stopped the traffic. His presence once briefly stopped a civil war in Nigeria.
Since Pele’s death several biographers have spoken of regret at failing to reach beyond his football. But that was the point. Pele’s life was football – from his childhood to the latter years. Simply being Pele was synonymous with the Jogo Bonito he graced.
The zenith of Pele’s career crowned a watershed convergence for football. The 1970 World Cup in Mexico, where he led Brazil to a third triumph in 12 years, was the first to be televised in colour, much being
