He gave so much to football that gathering all the legendary moves and goals that made Pele the King of world football is difficult.Everything in that great career was crowned with glamorous moves and over a thousand goals. But Pele’s greatness and legacy are also told by three also legendary – misses. No one blamed him for them because they were the essence of football skills and are engraved in the history of the most important sporting event in the world.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Pele’s last national team dance with Brazil at the World Cup in Mexico in 1970 is still considered the best championship team in the history of the World Cup. No one conquered the World Cup as dominantly and with such style as Pele’s Brazil in Mexico. They won all the games, dismantled Italy 4-1 in the showdown and gave the world pure football enjoyment. The build-up for that last goal is considered one of the most beautiful in the history of football. Pele assisted Carlos Alberto…Brazil – Czechoslovakia 4-1The Selecao opened the World Cup with a 4-1 win against Czechoslovakia, Pele scored one and assisted another, but the match is remembered for the miss near the half-time break.No one in the history of the World Cup has ever scored a goal from the centre. The closest to that was Pele in that game. When the ball came to him, he was in his own half, near the halfway line. The ball missed the post by a few centimetres and the world was left without one of the most spectacular goals in football history.In 90 anni di Mondiali nessuno ha mai segnato da centrocampo o giù di lì. Ma Pelé aveva notato che il portiere Viktor abbandonava i pali spesso e volentieri, così il #2giugno 1970, in Brasile-Cecoslovacchia, dichiarò il colpo come si fa a biliardo. E lo mancò di poco poco poco. pic.twitter.com/deIi6vQMzn— Giuseppe Pastore (@gippu1) June 2, 2020 England – Brazil 0-1Their next rivals were the defending champions England, led by the best generation in the history of their football. The Charlton brothers, Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst… And in goal, the best English goalkeeper of all time, Gordon Banks.Ten minutes into the game, Jairzinho crossed from the right wing, and Pele once again demonstrated his impeccable skills, launching a perfect header. He even raised his hands in celebration… But there was nothing to celebrate! Banks prevented Pele from scoring with a spectacular parade. Later it was labelled as the “Save of the Century”, and even Pele could not believe what the Englishman had saved.”I scored a goal, but Gordon Banks saved it”. Brazil – Uruguay 3-1That World Cup in Mexico was unique in many ways. It was the first with “colour” TV broadcasts in some countries and slow-motion replies. One of the shots still captivating decades later is Pele’s mastery against Uruguay in the quarter-finals.How to deceive the goalkeeper without reaching the ball?##NAJAVA_MECA_6916552##Tostao made a brilliant pass to Pele in front of the rival’s goal, the Brazilian “10” went to the ball and the Uruguayan goalkeeper Mazurkiewicz. When everyone expected him to fire, Pele decided to feint with his body and just skip the ball. He went to one side, the ball to the other, and the two of them ‘met’ again behind Mazurkiewicz’s back… Unfortunately, Pele’s shot ended inches wide off the post. But it is one mythical move that marks the beginning of the era of modern football.
