This month it’s a tribute to Pelé, who died on 29th December 2022.  Pelé burst onto the World Cup scene as a 17-year-old in 1958.  A late addition to the starting eleven, he was awesome for a teenager, scoring six goals to help Brazil win the World Cup for the first time.  Pelé became the world’s best player, a genuine superstar, a global icon yet his next two World Cups ended unhappily. The price of fame meant overplaying for both club and country, which led to him breaking down with injury in 1962. In 1966, he was the target of brutal opponents who wanted to stop him at all costs. As he walked off the Goodison Park pitch, it seemed like the end of the World Cup road. However, Pelé was determined to finish his international career on a high and returned in 1970, where he wowed a global audience with his magnificent goals and irrepressible skills as he confirmed his status as perhaps the greatest footballer of all-time.

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