THE GOAT is gone. Pelé died Thursday at the age of 82 in his native Brazil.
But not before he became the greatest footballer who ever lived and arguably the greatest athlete in history. And one that has had a lasting impact not only on global sport, but also on the New York City sports landscape.
Pelé has achieved staggering feats such as winning three world titles, scoring over 600 goals for his club Santos, and helping stop the Nigerian civil war just by his presence. Most incredible, however, may have been the transformation of the New York Cosmos into a worldwide phenomenon when he played for them in 1975-77.
“Today, if you’re all over the world…everywhere in the world you go, they say, ‘Pelé, when will the New York Cosmos come back?’ ”I get a little nervous sometimes. I played 25 years at Santos and no one asks me that,” Pelé said in 2013. “But I’m proud of it because we made football – football – well known in the United States.”
The NASL club made Pelé the highest-paid athlete in the world (a three-year, $7 million deal, according to a 1975 New York Times article announcing the signing), but it was worth every penny. Forget about goals, assists or a striker who won the 1976 NASL MVP or won the 1977 Soccer Bowl with him. He raised the Cosmos to world fame.
The Cosmos played to sparse crowds at Randall’s Island the year before Pelé’s arrival, moving to Yankee Stadium for the 1976 season and the new Giants Stadium in 1977 – often drawing large crowds.
Ten million people watched Pelé’s debut in The Cosmos on CBS, which was a record US football audience. Their goals tripled in his first half of the season, and by August of his final season, they had set a North American attendance record of 77,691.
The Cosmos attracted other stars on the pitch, such as fellow Brazilian World Cup winner Carlos Alberto, West Germany captain Frank Beckenbauer and Italy’s Giorgio Chinaglia. And stars in the stands like Robert Redford, Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol – and sometimes in Studio 54, with glitterati.
“I couldn’t believe how big the Cosmos was back then,” Pelé said many years ago. “I’m very happy to see football in the United States on the same level as the rest of the world because I started it here.”
Folk football originated in England in the 18th and 19th centuries and even spread to other countries such as France. It was played by a huge number of people, and the gates were as much as three miles apart. The object of the game was to get a ball, usually a pig’s bladder, into a target that could be kicked, thrown or carried.
Who was the first famous footballer?
Fergus Suter (21 November 1857 – 31 July 1916) was a Scottish stonemason and footballer in the early days of the game. See the article : How IU football is helping EA Sports get ready for ‘NCAA Football’ video game relaunch. Possibly the first recognized professional footballer, Suter was originally from Glasgow and played for Partick before moving to England to play for Darwen and Blackburn Rovers.
Who is the first famous soccer player? Early football historians agreed that 16-year-old Indiana College, Pennsylvania quarterback John Brallier became the first professional football player when he accepted $10 and “cakes” (expenses) to play for Latrobe, Pennsylvania. the city’s team against neighboring Jeannette on September 3, 1895.
Who is the 1st best footballer in the world?
1 player – Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi made his mark at Barcelona as a teenage sensation and soon became one of football’s brightest stars. He scored his first professional goal against Albacete in 2005.
Who is the most famous footballer of all time?
Pelé – He is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. Edson Arantes do Nascimento is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played as a striker. To see also : Marcus Rashford Book Club will give away 50,000 books this summer. During his career, he was the highest-paid athlete in the world.
What is the oldest football in England?
In addition, the EFL claimed that Nottingham Forest is the oldest current league club (1865). The club claims to be the oldest professional Football League Club in the world, having been in existence since 1863. On the same subject : NBC SPORTS KICKS OFF 2022 NFL SEASON AT HALL OF FAME GAME WITH FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA ON PLACE IN CANTON FOR THE FIRST TIME.
What is the oldest soccer team still playing? The American Professional Football Association (APFA) was also born in 1920 to run and organize the tournament. It was the precursor to the National Football League (NFL). Who is the oldest NFL team? The Arizona Cardinals and the Chicago Bears (current name) are the two teams still in the league today.
Which is the oldest football team in England?
Sheffield F.C. in England is the world’s oldest independent open football club; i.e. the oldest club not related to an institution such as a school, hospital or university, where it was open to everyone to play. It was founded in 1857.
Who are the 3 oldest football clubs in the world?
Therefore, in this article, we will look at the oldest football clubs around the world that are still active.
- Queens Park (Scotland) Queens Park is a football club based in Glasgow, which is the oldest club in the history of Scottish football. …
- Royal Engineers (England) …
- Notts County (England) …
- Cambridge University (England)
What is the oldest football ground in England?
Hallam FC Hallam FC, Hallam CC First opened in 1804, Hallam FC have been playing on the ground since 1860. Sandygate has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Oldest Football Ground in the World”.
What is Pele best known for?
Nicknamed “O Rei” (The King), Pele scored over 1,000 goals before retiring in 1977. From the worlds of sports, politics and popular culture, praise poured in for the character who embodied Brazil’s dominance in the beautiful game
How famous is Pele? Throughout his career, he became known as the “King of Football” (O Rei do Futebol) or simply “King Pelé” (O Rei Pelé). Spotted from an early age, Pelé started playing for Santos Futebol Clube at just 15, for the national team at 16, and won his first World Cup at 17.
Why Pelé is the greatest of all time?
Pelé, Brazil The Brazilian second striker holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the most goals scored in history with 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches for both club and national team, including friendlies.
What are 3 important facts about Pelé?
Other Facts He first won the World Cup at the age of 17. The president of Brazil declared Pelé a national treasure, preventing him from signing a non-Brazilian team. It was named after Thomas Edison.
Is Pelé the best soccer player in the world?
“Pelé is the greatest footballer of all time,” said German World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer. “Everyone else – Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini – are below him. There is no one who can compare to Pele
When was soccer banned in England?
There have been many attempts to ban football, from the Middle Ages to modern times. The first such law was passed in England in 1314; he was followed by over 30 in England alone between 1314 and 1667.
Why was football banned in England? Concerned about the negative impact of football on the good citizens of London, King Edward II banned the game in the city. Later, in 1349, his son Edward III banned football altogether, fearing that the game distracted men from practicing archery.
When was soccer allowed in England?
Although football matches have been around for centuries, it is often said that the sport as we know it today began in 1863 when the newly formed English Football Association wrote down a set of rules. At the time, it was the most played game of its type in the country, but not the only one.
When did England stop using soccer?
The word “soccer” is a British invention that Britons stopped using only about 40 years ago, according to a 2014 article by University of Michigan professor Stefan Szymanski. The word “football” comes from the use of the term “association football” in the United Kingdom and dates back 200 years.
In what year did the game of football become legal again in England?
The motivation for paying players was not just winning more matches. By the 1880s, interest in the game had grown to the point where tickets for matches were being sold. And finally, in 1885, professional football was legalized, and three years later the Football League was established.
