It might not have been quite surprising to see innumerable football fans in Kolkata thronging the streets to have a glimpse of Pele but the legendary Brazilian footballer was certainly left awestruck by India’s love and passion for the sport. Pele, on his first trip to India, had taken part in a friendly match against Indian giants Mohun Bagan at the Eden Gardens on 24 September 1977.
Pele, who won three World Cups, died on Thursday at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer.
Pele exhibited his glorious touches and incredible dribbling skills while playing for the North American Soccer League club New York Cosmos against Mohun Bagan. However, Mohun Bagan not only managed to deter Pele from scoring a goal but the Kolkata-based side also succeeded in avoiding a defeat in the match.
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The then Mohun Bagan coach PK Banerjee had appointed Gautam Sarkar to man-mark Pele in the fixture and the Indian midfielder succeeded in thwarting the Brazilian legend from finding the back of the net. And Pele himself had appreciated Sarkar for his remarkable performance.
“Sporting a wry smile he [Pele] told me, ‘So, you are that number 14 who did not allow me to move…’ I was left awe-struck. He was so overwhelmed by our play that he wanted to meet the players first. Never thought a club team from a country like India would play like this,” Sarkar was quoted while talking to PTI.
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Pele had revisited the City of Joy seven years back. And, Pele did not forget to reunite with the Mohun Bagan batch of 1977.
Pele, arguably the greatest footballer ever to grace the field, won the prestigious World Cup title thrice for Brazil. He was also named FIFA Player of the 20th Century. FIFA honoured Pele by presenting him with an honorary Ballon d’Or in 2014. Pele retired back in 1977 at the age of 36.
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