Pele, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, passed away on Thursday at the age of 82 in his native Brazil. Here, AFP Sport examines five of the best goals that the three-time winner of the World Cup scored at the global event:
1958 quarterfinal against Wales (1-0 victory) June 19, 1958, in Gothenburg, Sweden
The first of Pele’s 12 World Cup goals came in the 1958 semifinal against a strong Wales team led by John Charles. In Brazil’s final group match against the USSR, the 17-year-old became the tournament’s youngest player.
In the 66th minute, Pele scored a brilliant goal to win a close game. He used his chest to control the ball inside the box before volleying it low into the bottom corner and past a confused defender. In order to capture his celebrations with his teammates in the Welsh goal, photographers poured onto the field.
semi-final vs. France (5-2 win) June 24, 1958, at Stockholm
Pele quickly added to his World Cup tally by decisively winning Brazil’s semi-final against France. Pele scored a hat trick in the second half to propel Brazil into the final, giving them a 2-1 halftime advantage over Les Bleus of Just Fontaine.
After a mistake by the goalkeeper, he scored with a bundle to make it 3-1, and then he scored his second with exquisite skill. However, his only World Cup hat trick came with the goal that put him over the top: an unstoppable volley into the corner from a right-wing cross from Garrincha.
final against Sweden (5-2 win) on June 29, 1958, in Stockholm
Pele became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final, a feat that was only matched 60 years later by France’s Kylian Mbappe, in the final against Sweden (5-2 win) on June 29, 1958, in Stockholm. His first goal of a double in the 5-2 victory over Sweden, where he was the host, was memorable because he scored after three touches even though the ball never touched the ground.
He slammed a now-signature volley into the bottom corner after controlling a long pass on his chest, knocking it over the advancing defender, and doing so.
1970 group stage match against Romania (3-2 victory) June 10, 1970, in Guadalajara, Mexico
Pele arrived in Mexico with a lot to prove in 1970 after injuring himself in the second game of Brazil’s 1962 World Cup victory and then effectively being kicked out of the 1966 edition in England.
In arguably the greatest team ever, the 29-year-old underlined his status as the world’s best player. A thunderous free kick from 30 yards out that flew into the net was his first of two goals in a 3-2 group-stage victory against Romania.
final World Cup goal a 4-1 victory over Italy, on June 21, 1970, in Mexico City
In a tournament for which he will be best remembered for two misses—a shot wide after an incredible dummy to confuse a goalkeeper and an effort from the halfway line that drifted narrowly off target—he scored his final goal in the final.
In the 18th minute, Rivelino ran onto a Tostao throw-in and sent a left-footed cross to the back post.
Italy leveled through Roberto Boninsegna, yet Brazil traveled to a renowned success, with Pele giving the help to the fourth objective for Carlos Alberto, trusting that his chief will show up later than expected on the scene from right-back and score what is generally viewed as the best-ever World Cup objective.