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Paris: After the death of Pele at age 82 in Sao Paulo on Thursday, AFP Sport looks at key dates in the life of the football great:23rd October 1940: Pele was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento into a modest family in Minas Gerais to the north of Rio de Jaineiro. His father was a keen amateur footballer.1943: The name Pele came about when the three-year-old was supporting a footballing friend of his father by the name of Bile. Unable to pronounce the name Pele came out instead and the name then stuck for the rest of his life.7th September 1956: Pele played his first match for Brazilian club Santos, where he would stay for 18 years.7th July 1957: At just 16 years and 9 months, Pele turned out for Brazil in a Copa America match against Argentina at the Maracana stadium where he would score the first of his 77 goals in his international career.29th June 1958: Pele shoots to global fame, scoring twice in the World Cup final in a 5-2 win for Brazil over hosts Sweden. To this day he remains the youngest man to play in a final, and of course the youngest man to score in one.1962: After four seasons of triumph with Santos he played at a second World Cup in Chile. Injury saw him watch much of the tournament from the bench while his compatriot Garrincha provided the fireworks in another title triumph.1966: A third World Cup but Pele was victim of severe fouling from opposition teams as Brazil fall at the first round.19th November 1969: Pele scores his 1000th goal converting a spot-kick for Santos against Vasco de Gama. The game was held up for 20 minutes as he ran a lap of honour around the stadium.21st June 1970: Pele leads Brazil to his third World Cup and he remains the only player to have won three. His game and his goals were those of a man at the peak of his powers with his header in the 4-1 win over Italy in the final one of football’s most iconic moments.18th July 1971: Pele plays his final game for Brazil aged just 30 in a 2-2 draw with Yugoslavia at the Maracana stadium.10th June 1975: The 34-year-old Pele joins New York Cosmos and helps launch the ‘soccer’ revolution in the United States.1st October 1977: In the final game of his career Pele played the first half for Cosmos and the second half for Santos at the Giants stadium in New York. The FIFA statistics say it all -- 1,363 games and 1,281 goals.1994-1998: Pele was appointed Minister of Sports for Brazil, a post that at that time had never been occupied by a black man.1999: He was honoured as the Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee. A year later FIFA honoured him with the Footballer of the Century award.29th December 2022: Pele dies aged 82.

A barber who first met Brazilian football legend Pele in the 1950s and cut his hair for decades said yesterday he hoped God would take care of the late athlete. Pele, who died on Thursday aged 82, rose from poverty to become one of the greatest athletes in modern history and the only man to win three World Cups as a player. “He came to have his hair cut a couple of times a month and to cut his beard it was every two days,” said Joao Araujo, who said he first met Pele in 1956 or 1957 and whose barber shop in the city of Santos houses memorabilia of the star. Pele spent most of his playing career at Santos club.Araujo said he last saw Pele, who suffered colon cancer, last year. “(I hope) God takes care of him.”Global media bows to ‘King’ PeleHis face appeared on televisions around the world and dominated the homepages of news outlets everywhere as global media bowed to the late, great Pele, the undisputed “King” of football. News organisations across the planet hailed the legendary Brazilian, who was widely considered the greatest footballer to ever play the game.To the Brazilian daily O Globo, Pele may have died, but he remained the “immortal king of football”. The Folha de S.Paulo quoted the late Brazilian poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, who said: “The difficulty, the extraordinary, is not to score 1,000 goals like Pele — it’s to score one goal like Pele.”Their obituary suggested that while Edson Arantes do Nascimento — Pele’s birth name — may have passed on, “it isn’t true that Pele is dead”. In Argentina — home of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, both also contenders for the title of greatest of all time — the Clarin remembered Pele as “a supreme symbol of football’s spectacle” and a “great among the greats”.

Top flight football matches in England, Spain, Italy, France will all honour Pele before each match in the upcoming round of games, it was announced yesterday. “In tribute to Pele, Premier League clubs will remember his contribution to football by holding a minute’s applause prior to kick-offs,” said a statement on the English Premier League’s Twitter feed. “Players and match officials will wear black armbands.”A similar announcement was made by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Serie A action returns after its winter break on Wednesday where a minute’s silence will be observed for the Brazilian legend. Games in France’s Ligue 1 will be preceded by a minute’s applause while a photo of Pele with the World Cup is shown on the big screens in the stadiums.In Spain, La Liga announced that a minute of silence would be observed before each match this weekend. Brazil started three days of national mourning Friday for Pele, the three-time World Cup winner widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, who died Thursday at the age of 82.The death of “O Rei” (The King) triggered a wave of tributes from around the globe to the man who both transformed football and transcended the sport. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Friday that Pele’s influence on football would be “eternal”.“On behalf of Manchester City, the biggest condolences for his family and friends,” Guardiola told reporters. “Football is football thanks to these types of people. Neymar said a great sentence when he said before (Pele) number 10 was just a number and after it became something special.”Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte said he had known about Pele’s quality from an early age. “The first person who spoke to me about Pele was my father,” he said.“My father was in love with Pele because for him, he was the best player in the world and many times he spoke about him. Then I watched some games that he played and especially the final of the World Cup and some situations it was incredible what he did with the ball. The memories are this.”Former Spurs star Cliff Jones played against Pele when he broke through onto the global stage as Brazil won the 1958 World Cup. The winger was a member of the Wales team that lost 1-0 to Brazil in the quarter-finals -- with Pele on target as he became the youngest player to score at a World Cup at the age of 17 years and 239 days.In an era before social media, Pele had arrived in Sweden largely unknown to European football, but went onto score six goals in the tournament as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time. “Pele? We’d never heard of Pele,” Jones said recently.“I can remember him picking the ball up in his own half, and he’s gone past three Welsh defenders, smashed the ball towards goal.“Jack Kelsey’s had to tip it over the bar and we’re all looking around at each other like ‘Who is this kid? Who is he?’ No-one had heard of him, but my word they were going to.”

The Qatar Football Association (QFA) Friday announced that national team head coach Felix Sanchez’s contract will not be renewed. For over five years, the Spaniard was in charge of the Qatar team which coincided with one of Al Annabi’s most successful eras, including leading them to their maiden Asian Cup title in 2019.However, Qatar under Sanchez faltered on the big stage at the FIFA World Cup at home when they were the first team to be eliminated from the tournament following defeats by Ecuador (2-0), Senegal (3-1) and the Netherlands (0-2).The 47-year-old Sanchez took up the senior team reins in 2017 having first joined Qatar's Aspire Academy in 2006 before then managing the country's Under-19 side. Qatar underwent a six month training camp in Europe before the World Cup, with the team also competing in the 2019 Copa America and at last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup. But at their historic maiden World Cup appearance all plans fell apart.There was indication that Sanchez’s contract would not be renewed when QFA named U-23 coach Bruno Pinheiro has the coach of the 27-member squad for the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup to be held in Basra, Iraq, from January 6 to 19, 2023. Many of the senior players – including captain Hassan al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Abdulaziz Hatem, Karim Boudiaf, Abdelkarim Hassan, Boualam Khoukhi, Bassam Al Rawi, Saad al-Sheeb and Pedro Miguel – who did duty at the World Cup were also rested.While QFA said it will appoint a new coach shortly, there have been rumours of former Iran coach Carlos Queiroz being approached for the role. An announcement though is not likely to be made until the end of the Gulf Cup. In a statement Friday QFA said: “Coach Felix Sanchez and the QFA have mutually decided to start a new chapter after his current contract expires on December 31. The QFA will decide on the new head coach to lead the next phase of the national team shortly, but would like to express its most sincere gratitude to coach Felix.”QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani called Sanchez a ‘friend’ and said Qatar was grateful for his service and wished best for the future. “Felix has been not only our coach, but also our friend. The football family of Qatar will always be grateful for the success he has brought to Qatari football over the years. Coach Felix will always have a special place with us, and we hope he always thinks of Qatar as his home,” Sheikh Hamad said in a statement.QFA said Sanchez expressed his desire to pursue new opportunities, while also showing gratitude for his years at the QFA: The Spaniard was quoted as saying in the statement: “The past five years with Qatar’s senior national team have been a once in a lifetime opportunity. I can only thank the QFA, President Sheikh Hamad, and the country’s leaders for their trust and support during a period in which we achieved a lot together. Qatar, its people, and its football will always be in my heart. Now is a good time to let others take on the responsibility of the team and for me to explore new challenges.”

Brazil on Friday mourned the death of one of its brightest stars, football legend Pele, with fans and friends paying their respects to the sports icon who died at the age of 82 after battling colon cancer for just over a year.Outside Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein hospital, where Pele had been undergoing treatment, fans gathered to mourn the loss of one of the greatest ever exponents of the beautiful game, displaying Pele memorabilia on a clothesline by the entrance."I'll never forget him, the Brazilian king of football," said 67-year-old Antonio da Paz. "He provided us with joy even in our saddest times."Pele's death has unified Brazil, a country starkly divided by a bruising presidential election.Outgoing far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who leaves office on Sunday, declared three days of mourning."I had the pleasure of meeting him, talking to him for a few minutes in 1991 - a simple man who raised Brazil's name in the four corners of the world," Bolsonaro said in a social media broadcast on Friday. "The whole world is crying today".Monuments have been lit up to honour the only man to win the World Cup three times as a player, including Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer statue and Sao Paulo's NeoQuimica Arena, where the opening match of the 2014 World Cup was played."I lost my brother," Pele's longtime personal assistant Jose Pepito Fornos told Reuters. "But we'll have all eternity to be together in the Father's house."Edson Arantes do Nascimento - Pele's given name - died on Thursday at 3:27 p.m. local time (18:27 GMT) "due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition," the hospital said in a statement.Pele's wake will take place on Monday, only after the inauguration of President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in the center of the field at the stadium of Santos, his hometown club, which experienced a cloudy and rainy Friday morning.Most of the people around the stadium were reporters, while the club's staff prepared the venue for Pele's memorial. A message on the stadium's big screen read "Thank you, Pele".On Tuesday, a procession carrying his coffin will pass through the streets of the coastal city of Santos, ending at the Ecumenical Memorial Necropolis cemetery, where he will be buried in a private ceremony.

The Italian coach and the technical manager for Real Madrid Carlo Ancelotti hailed Argentinian star Lionel Messi, who won the trophy in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, as a spectacular player who crowned his career with winning the World Cup in Qatar.In a press conference before the launch of game between Real Madrid and Real Valladolid CF within the 15th round, Ancelotti recognised that Messi is an incredible player who has perfect performance and had won the tournament title, adding that It's hard to say he is a great footballer, as his career is spectacular,but he does not know if Messi is really the best in history, because each era has had very important players.

Neymar led the tributes to Pele after the Brazil legend’s death yesterday as the Paris Saint Germain star said his iconic compatriot had “transformed football into an art”.Pele passed away aged 82 after suffering “multiple organ failure” following a long battle with cancer and the football world was quick to salute arguably the sport’s greatest ever player.Nicknamed “O Rei” (The King), Pele scored more than 1,000 goals before retiring in 1977.Brazil forward Neymar hailed Pele, a three-time World Cup winner, in a social media post alongside two pictures of himself with the legend.“Before Pele, ‘10’ was just a number,” the heir to Pele’s famed shirt number wrote on Instagram.“But that beautiful sentence is incomplete. I would say that before Pele, football was just a sport.“He transformed football into an art, into entertainment... Football and Brazil gained status thanks to the King. He has gone, but his magic will remain. Pele is ETERNAL!”Like Pele, France striker Kylian Mbappe shot to stardom after winning the World Cup at a young age.Mbappe helped France lift the World Cup in 2018 and also scored a hat-trick in Les Bleus’ dramatic penalty shoot-out defeat against Argentina in the tournament’s 2022 final earlier this month.“The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING,” PSG forward Mbappe tweeted.Former England World Cup winner Geoff Hurst hailed Pele as the “greatest of all time”.Hurst played against Pele in the 1970 World Cup, with Brazil winning a group stage match between the two countries 1-0, and rated the forward as the best he ever faced.“I have so many memories of Pele, without doubt the best footballer I ever played against (with Bobby Moore being the best footballer I ever played alongside),” Hurst tweeted.“For me Pele remains the greatest of all time and I was proud to be on the pitch with him. RIP Pele and thank you.”Hurst’s record as the only man to score a World Cup final hat-trick - in England’s 4-2 victory against West Germany in 1966 - was equalled by Mbappe in Qatar.

Australia captain Pat Cummins hailed teammates Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green for their courage under fire after the injured duo played through pain to help the side complete a series-sealing victory over South Africa yesterday.Paceman Starc snapped a tendon in the middle finger of his bowling hand during a fielding mishap on day one of the second test in Melbourne but bowled a full load and took a wicket on day four as Australia won by a thumping innings and 182 runs.All-rounder Green retired hurt after his index finger was broken by an Anrich Nortje delivery but returned to the crease on day three to score an unbeaten 51, adding to his five-wicket haul earlier.“(It’s) probably a good time to mention all the incredible achievements this week. Starcy with a finger that’s going to put him out for a few weeks, to have the bravery to go out and do that,” Cummins told reporters.“Cam Green, the same, ‘guts-ing’ it out for us.“We saw Steve Smith and Davey (Warner) on day two in 38 degrees - gutsy, gutsy innings.“It just speaks volumes for the team at the moment. Everyone would do anything for each other so we’re in a really good place.”The Boxing Day Test triumph gave Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead ahead of the third and final match in Sydney, while shoring up top spot in the World Test Championship.It also capped an exceptional year for Australia in Test cricket, with Cummins’s side winning seven out of 10 matches, including a series win in Pakistan.After Sydney, Australia will switch focus to the tour of India in February with the Ashes in England to follow.With veteran opener Warner shrugging off a lean run in a brilliant 200 in the Melbourne heat and a depleted attack still easily able to deal with South Africa, Cummins said he was leading a special Australian team.“Yeah, probably the best Test team I’ve played in, just in terms of how well settled everyone is, how well everyone knows their gameplan,” he said. “In terms of captaining I don’t feel like I have to do much at all. Everyone looks after themselves. You just kind of make sure the buses are on time - which the team manager does.“It’s just in a really sweet spot at the moment. We know it’s not going to stay like this forever. But I think we can just all kind of sit back and appreciate the place that we are in at the moment because it’s really special“We’re having a hell of a lot of fun as well doing it together with some of our best mates.”

South Africa were on the wrong end of a “hammering” against rampant top-ranked Australia yesterday, losing the second Test by 182 runs and with it the series.The loss capped a dismal first two Tests for the visitors who slumped by six wickets in the opener at Brisbane inside two days, with a potential face-saving third match at Sydney still to play.“It is not easy at the moment. That was bit of a hammering,” Proteas skipper Dean Elgar said.Australia declared on Wednesday at 575-8 built on the back of man-of-the-match Warner’s 200 and a gutsy 85 from Steve Smith in searing heat, in reply to South Africa’s first innings 189, and then took complete control with the ball.South Africa resumed day four on 15-1 after Elgar went for a duck before rain halted play early on Wednesday.But their resistance didn’t last long with three wickets falling before lunch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the rest in the second session as they succumbed for 204.Temba Bavuma top-scored with 65 while Nathan Lyon took 3-58 in a depleted, injury-hit, attack.“The win is right up there. We have had a number of great contests against South Africa over the years. It’s really sweet and something to be proud of,” said Australian skipper Pat Cummins.“I thought how Warner and Smith batted in the heat was pretty gutsy. (Mitchell) Starc and (Cameron) Green as well, put their injuries behind them and turned up.”It leaves South Africa facing a trip to Sydney next week for the final Test with only pride to play for and potentially some changes to a batting line up that has largely failed to fire.“We have got to do a lot of reflection going ahead once again. There are a few positives coming out of this Test but not a lot,” Elgar said.“There’s lot to play for (in Sydney), South Africa are a proud cricketing nation and 2-1 sounds a lot better than 3-0,” he added.Australia will have a new-look team with Green and Starc already ruled out with finger injuries as they race the clock to be ready for a blockbuster series in India in February.Josh Hazlewood is set to return for Starc after recovering from a side strain, with Green’s replacement to be decided.The wickets fell despite the hosts’ attack being depleted, with Green, who took 5-27 in their first innings, not bowling due to a fractured finger.Theunis de Bruyn (28), Sarel Erwee (21) and Khaya Zondo (one) all departed before lunch at the hands of Australia’s high-class pace attack.Then the spin of Nathan Lyon, and two careless run outs, ended any hope they had in the second session.Starc was also nursing a bruised and bloodied finger, but he played through the pain and his sheer pace caused plenty of problems.Erwee, who resumed on seven, hit a superb drive for four off him as his confidence grew, but Starc quickly got his revenge, trapping him lbw with a cracking yorker.De Bruyn began on six and built up to 28, but he soon followed his teammate back to the pavilion.This time Scott Boland did the damage, enticing an edge that was taken by the ever-reliable Smith in the slips for his 150th catch.He is 14th on the all-time list, led by Indian great Rahul Dravid’s 210.South Africa were under the pump and needed to dig in, but Bavuma inexplicably attempted a single from Cummins and Khaya Zondo was easily run out by a Travis Head underarm throw.It left them teetering at 65-4 before Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne knuckled down.But Boland struck again soon after lunch with Verreynne, one of their best batsmen this series, out lbw for 33. Lyon’s spin removed Marco Jansen before another disastrous run out involving Bavuma, with Keshav Maharaj out after a confusing mix-up and Starc made a direct hit.More weak dismissals by Lyon and a rare wicket for Smith ended the match.SCOREBOARDSouth Africa 1st innings 189Australia 1st innings 575-8 declSouth Africa 2nd innings (overnight 15-1)D. Elgar c Carey b Cummins 0S. Erwee lbw Starc 21T. De Bruyn c Smith b Boland 28T. Bavuma c sub (Harris) b Lyon 65K. Zondo run out 1K. Verreynne lbw Boland 33M. Jansen lbw Lyon 5K. Maharaj run out 13K. Rabada c Cummins b Lyon 3A. Nortje not out 8L. Ngidi b Smith 19Extras (b1, lb5, nb2) 8Total (all out, 68.5 overs) 204Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Elgar), 2-47 (Erwee), 3-57 (De Bruyn), 4-65 (Zondo), 5-128 (Verreynne), 6-144 (Jansen), 7-174 (Maharaj), 8-176 (Bavuma), 9-177 (Rabada), 10-204 (Ngidi)Bowling: Starc 18-4-62-1, Cummins 16-8-20-1 (nb2), Boland 15-2-49-2, Lyon 17-1-58-3, Smith 2.5-0-9-1Man of the Match: Dave Warner

DUBAI:Rashid Khan will captain Afghanistan in Twenty20 internationals after being named as the replacement for Mohamed Nabi by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) yesterday.Nabi stepped down as captain in November, after Afghanistan were eliminated from the T20 World Cup without winning a match. This will be Rashid’s second stint as captain. The spinner resigned immediately after Afghanistan’s squad was announced for the 2021 World Cup last year, saying the selection committee had not obtained his consent for the team. “I have the experience of leading my country before, there is a great bunch of guys with whom I have a good understanding and feel pretty comfortable,” Rashid said. “We will try to stick together, will work hard to put things on the right track and bring pride and joy to our country and nation.”Rashid’s first assignment as captain will be a three-match T20 series against the United Arab Emirates in February.

Pakistan will need to bat-out the last day to avoid defeat in the first Test after New Zealand gained the upper hand yesterday through a masterly undefeated double-hundred by Kane Williamson in Karachi.Trailing by 174 runs after the first innings, Pakistan finished the fourth day on a precarious 77-2, with Imam-ul-Haq on 45 and nightwatchman Nauman Ali four.Pakistan have lost their last four Tests - including a first-ever 3-0 whitewash at the hands of England - and are now 97 runs behind with eight wickets intact.The home team’s task of salvaging a draw shouldn’t ordinarily be onerous on a National Stadium pitch that has not so far taken sharp turn, but their propensity for middle-order collapses recently has given New Zealand the sniff of victory. Opener Abdullah Shafique was the first wicket to fall as he played an injudicious lofted shot off spinner Michael Bracewell, and was caught at mid-on for 17.Then Shan Masood was adjudged leg before off Ish Sodhi for 10 before Haq and Nauman saw off the day.Earlier, Williamson’s unbeaten double century enabled the visitors to declare their first innings on 612-9 - a good 174-run lead over Pakistan’s 438. Williamson reached 200 with a single off spinner Abrar Ahmed, batting for ten hours and striking 21 boundaries and a six in an innings which saw him overturn two leg-before decisions on 13 and 116. He also survived two stumpings off spinner Nauman on 15 and 21.Resuming on 440-6, Williamson and Sodhi defied Pakistan’s bowling in the first session as the pair took the total to 595 before their seventh wicket stand was broken. Sodhi was caught off Ahmed for 65 to better his previous best, also against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2018.“It’s nice to be part of a number of partnerships that has given us a competitive total and put us in a reasonable position,” said Williamson, who has now scored a double century every year for the last four.But he still thought it would be tough to force a win.SCOREBOARDPakistan 1st innings 438New Zealand 1st innings (overnight 440-6)T. Latham c sub (Ghulam) b Ahmed 113D. Conway lbw b Nauman 92K. Williamson not out 200H. Nicholls b Nauman 22D. Mitchell c Sarfaraz b Ahmed 42T. Blundell lbw b Wasim 47M. Bracewell c Wasim b Ahmed 5I. Sodhi c Azam b Ahmed 65T. Southee c Masood b Nauman 0N. Wagner c Salman b Ahmed 0Ajaz Patel not out 0Extras (b7, lb11, nb1, w2, penalty 5) 26Total (for 9 wkts dec, 194.5 overs) 612Fall of wickets: 1-183 (Conway), 2-231 (Latham), 3-272 (Nicholls), 4-337 (Mitchell), 5-427 (Blundell), 6-436 (Bracewell), 7-595 (Sodhi), 8-596 (Southee), 9-597 (Wagner)Bowling: Hamza 26-3-83-0, Wasim 34-6-105-1, Ahmed 67.5-8-205-5, Nauman 63-5-185-3 (1nb, 2w), Azam 4-1-11-0Pakistan 2nd inningsA. Shafique c sub (Phillips) b Bracewell 17Imam-ul-Haq not out 45S.Masood lbw b Sodhi 10N. Ali not out 4Extras: (nb1) 1Total (for two wkts, 31 overs) 77Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Shafique), 2-71 (Masood)Bowling: Southee 6-3-8-0, Patel 9-1-29-0, Bracewell 9-1-23-1, Sodhi 7-1-17-1 (1nb)Toss: Pakistan

Pele was the best-loved footballer of his or any other generation, the eternal master of the beautiful game.He won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, his sumptuous range of skills making him the embodiment of his country’s golden age of football.When he finally retired in 1977, Pele had scored more than 1,000 goals. He scored 77 for Brazil, a mark only equalled at the recent World Cup by Neymar. But his impact on his sport went far beyond the pitch as he also became a money-making phenomenon, lending his name to sportswear, credit cards and watches among an array of products.Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in October 1940, Pele played his first game for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956.He earned a call-up to the national team a year later, scoring on his debut against Argentina. In 1958 he was picked for the World Cup in Sweden.His participation at the finals had been a matter of fierce debate in Brazil, with many critics questioning whether the slender-framed teenager was ready for the physical demands of the tournament.___________________________Read also:Pele, Brazilian football legend, dies at 82The only player to have won World Cup title three timesTributes pour in in for Pelé, 'The King of Football''The summit of world football': what Pele did for Brazil___________________________Nursing a knee injury on arrival in Sweden, Pele was unavailable for Brazil’s opening two matches. He might also have been forced to sit out their third, against the Soviet Union, had coach Vicente Feola decided to heed the advice of a team psychologist who had urged that Pele was “infantile” and not fit for duty.In the event Feola opted to play the youngster, and it paid off. Working in tandem with Garrincha and his famously bent legs, Pele gave a virtuoso display as the Soviets were vanquished 2-0. Once in the team, Pele made it impossible for him to be removed. A winning goal in the quarter-final against Wales and a hat-trick in the 5-2 semi-final victory over France were followed by two more in the final win over Sweden.Still only 17, Pele had become the youngest World Cup winner in history. The next two tournaments, however, were to be unhappy experiences. Twenty-one by the time of the 1962 World Cup in Chile, an older, stronger Pele had been expected to take the tournament by storm. He gave a tantalising glimpse of what he was capable of with an electric individual goal against Mexico in Brazil’s opening 2-0 win. But he aggravated an existing injury in the second game, against the Czechs, and was forced to sit out the remainder of the tournament as his countrymen successfully defended their title.Pele’s frustration that injury had limited his appearances in Chile were nothing compared to the sickening disappointment of England in 1966 where, unprotected by referees, he was literally kicked out of the tournament.Brutally assaulted by Bulgaria’s defence in the first game to the extent that he was forced to miss the second match, the nadir came against Portugal. Two crippling challenges by Joao Morais left a tearful Pele being carried from the Goodison Park pitch in Liverpool swearing never to play in a World Cup again.“I don’t want to finish my life as an invalid,” he said.Thankfully, Pele’s disconsolate vow was to prove an empty threat. He returned four years later in Mexico to spearhead what is regarded as the greatest team of all time.Where 1966 had been viewed as a victory for cynicism, the 1970 tournament, and Pele and Brazil’s winning contribution to it, have become synonymous with the beautiful game. It is a testament to the quality of Pele’s play in Mexico that he is remembered for the goals he didn’t score as much as for the ones he did. An outrageous attempt to lob Czechoslovakia’s goalkeeper from inside his own half and a magical dummy against Uruguay in the semi-finals are among the finest moments of World Cup history.Though he was to continue playing club football for his beloved Santos and later the New York Cosmos, Pele retired from international duty in 1971, making an emotional farewell in front of 180,000 fans at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.“Pele was the most complete player I’ve ever seen,” England’s Bobby Moore recalled later. “He had everything.”Once his World Cup heroics were finished, Pele, who was nicknamed “O Rei” (The King) and finished on 91 caps, helped try to kickstart an American revolution in football.In 1977, he inspired New York to the national title in his final season with the club which featured fellow greats Franz Beckenbauer, Italian striker Giorgio Chinaglia and former Brazil captain Carlos Alberto.He appeared in the 1981 film Escape to Victory about Allied prisoners of war during World War II along with the likes of Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone and Moore.Between 1995 and 1998, he was even Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport, while he also regularly appeared in public as an ambassador for numerous commercial brands.He suffered a series of health problems in later life, undergoing surgery on his hips, kidney stones and on a colon tumour.That did not stop him living life to the full, and he married for the third time in 2016, tying the knot with Marcia Aoki.

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool’s £40mn ($48mn) swoop for PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo will have an effect on his plans for the January transfer window. Klopp landed the highly-rated Gakpo during three days of negotiations with the 23-year-old’s representatives over Christmas.Netherlands international Gakpo impressed at the World Cup in Qatar, prompting Liverpool to make their move before Manchester United could seal a deal for the rising star. Another forward was not top of Klopp’s list of priorities, with Liverpool’s midfield still needing reinforcements.But the Reds boss was keen to keep Gakpo out of United’s hands, even if he might now have less to spend in January.“I would say in principle it’s like this for all people in the world: the money you spend has an impact on the money you can spend (in the future),” Klopp told reporters yesterday.“We know what we want to do and we will see if we can do it.“It’s about money, of course, but it’s more about how it always was, about the right players as we are really happy that we could get Cody.“He is a young player with a lot of potential. If he would have already been scoring 40 goals in Spain or whatever he would be unaffordable. These kind of things, it’s all about timing. That’s why we were really convinced. He could always make the next step and that makes it interesting.”Gakpo scored in each of the Netherlands group matches at the World Cup and his versatility across the forward line means he fits the Klopp mould of being a multi-functional player.However, with the window not officially open until Sunday and Liverpool playing Leicester today and Brentford on Monday, Gakpo might have to wait a while for his debut.“We are obviously very early (in the January market) which is good. There might be a chance for Brentford but not really,” Klopp said.“January 1 is a Bank Holiday but the papers some other people have to sign would have to be done at 12pm on the second, and I’m not too positive that will happen. We will not rush it anyway. Probably Wolves (in the FA Cup on January 7). The position he played most often is obviously the left wing, that is clear, but he can play in different positions. He played for Holland and PSV in different positions, it’s all fine.”Liverpool, who are sixth in the league with 25 points from 15 matches, face a Leicester team that were outclassed by Newcastle in a 3-0 defeat on Monday, and Klopp said he expects a reaction from Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James remains “locked in” on basketball with his 38th birthday fast approaching, but the four-time NBA champion made it clear yesterday he wants to be a title contender.James, who turns 38 today, reflected on his career after another frustrating Lakers defeat, this one to the Miami Heat.With superstar Anthony Davis sidelined by injury, the Lakers have dropped five of their last six games and are 14-21 this season. It’s not the kind of situation that James - still averaging nearly 30 points per game - wants to be in.“I’m a winner, and I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships,” James said. “That has always been my passion, that has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio. And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore.”Even as the Lakers are struggling just to put themselves in play-off position, James is still averaging almost 30 points per game and is on track to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time leading scorer, perhaps in early February.“If you look at the history of the game, it doesn’t seem that many have played at this level with this many years and this many miles and things on their resume,” he said.“I’m very humbled at the same time to be able to play the game that I love still at this level and still be a focal point of opposing teams.”But championships remain the goal, and James indicated that the Lakers’ troubles have perhaps made the glimpses of what post-NBA life might be like look more appealing.“I think about a little bit of everything,” he said. “I think about how much of the world I’m going to see when I’m done playing the game.”James has said he wants to keep playing until his oldest son, Bronny, reaches the NBA, which would be in 2024 at the earliest under current rules.However, that plan apparently doesn’t include toiling in a mid-table team. “I think about how much longer I’m going to play the game,” he said. “I think about that I don’t want to finish my career playing at this level - from a team aspect. I want to still be able to compete for championships, because I know what I can still bring to any ball club with the right pieces,” James said - a comment sure to be interpreted as a nudge to the Lakers to make some moves before the February 9 trade deadline.

QNB Stars League side Al Rayyan yesterday unveiled their new signing Japanese defender Shogo Taniguchi in the presence of club president Sheikh Ali bin Saud bin Ahmed al-Thani and coach Nicolas Cordova. The 31-year-old centre-back started in two matches during Japan’s World Cup campaign in Qatar, where they reached the last 16. At Rayyan, Taniguchi is replacing Palestine defender Yasser Hamad who is injured. Taniguchi joined Kawasaki Frontale from University of Tsukuba in 2014 and went on to win four J-League titles with the club, who he captained from 2020.

Kylian Mbappe said he will never get over the disappointment of losing the World Cup final after the France star scored the winner on his return to action for Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night. “I think I’m never going to get over it,” Mbappe said, speaking 10 days after he scored a hat-trick in the final against Argentina which the South Americans won in a penalty shootout. Mbappe said he had been through some “difficult times” since the defeat but he showed few signs of the setback in Qatar as he won and converted a 96th minute penalty to give PSG a last-gasp 2-1 win against Strasbourg on Ligue 1’s resumption following the World Cup break.“As I said to my teammates, there is no reason why the club should pay the price for the failure of the national team, they are two very different situations,” 24-year-old said. “It does me good to come back with a win and to have a link with the club, the supporters and my teammates.”Mbappe shrugged off Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez’s taunts after the World Cup final, saying he did not ‘waste energy on such futile things’ as he awaited the return of Paris Saint Germain teammate Lionel Messi.During Argentina’s homecoming, a group of fans set alight a makeshift coffin lid adorned with a cross and a picture of Mbappe. Martinez clutched a toy baby with Mbappe’s face on it during an open-top bus parade through the capital on December 23. “The celebrations, they’re not my problem. I don’t waste any energy on such futile things,” Mbappe said. “What’s important for me is to give the best of myself for my club, and we’re looking forward for Leo (Messi) to return to continue scoring and winning matches.”Asked about Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Messi, who will return to the Paris club after the New Year, Mbappe said he congratulated him following the final. “It was a life’s goal for him, for me as well, but I failed, so you must always remain a good sportsman,” he said. Meanwhile, Neymar, who was left in tears after Brazil were knocked out by Croatia in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, was sent off for two yellow cards in PSG’s victory. Captain Marquinhos had put the hosts ahead with an early header but the Brazilian defender scored an own goal after 51 minutes as some of PSG’s stars appeared to be suffering a post-Qatar hangover.Neymar picked up a yellow for a petulant flick in the face of a Strasbourg player and then earned another for a blatant dive in the penalty area just after the hour.Mbappe had been a constant menace for PSG but was unable to find the target with two clear-cut chances. But deep into second-half injury time he was brought down in the penalty area and converted the winner from the spot in the 96th minute. The victory put PSG eight points ahead of Lens, who must beat Nice to keep up.

Al Rufaa Racing’s Emperor Maximus ridden by Marco Casamento timed its run to perfection at the last stretch to win the feature event at the Qatar Derby yesterday. At the Al Rayyan Racecourse, it was another action packed 10-race card with racing connoisseurs witnessing some thrilling battles in the 23rd Race Meeting of the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC).The marquee race – 2,000m Qatar Derby (QA Group 1) – Thoroughbreds, Class 1- Far Bend – offered $500,000 in prize money including $285,000 for the winner. And for the large part it looked like Upton Park, ridden by Tomas Lukasek, would walk away with the top honours until Gassim Ghazali-trained Emperor Maximus put in a scintillating run with 500 metres to go.The three-year-old bay colt picked up pace at the right moment and was expertly guided by Casamento to clinch a 1¾ length victory. Alban Elie De Mieulle-trained and Soufiane Saadi-ridden Persian Royal was third after narrowly beaten by Upton Park.Meanwhile, Jim Crowley piloted Francois Rohaut-trained Moshrif to a comfortable five-length victory in the Qatar International Derby (Group 2) – Purebred Arabians for four-year-old only – Far Bend, which carried a total purse of $200,000The Al Rayyan Stakes Thoroughbreds 1,400m race was won by Alban Elie De Mieulle-trained Bariloche, which gave a double for jockey Ronan Thomas, who had earlier led Atlantic Sun to victory in Local Thoroughbred Premium Maiden Cup – the first race of the day.Meanwhile, Maxime Guyon and Tomas Lukasek also bagged a brace of victories yesterday. Guyon, who scored a hat-trick of wins on Qatar Oaks day on Wednesday, completed his double after riding Al Ghadeer to a half-length win in Qatar Derby (Group 3) - Purebred Arabians for three-year-olds only.Devious Company handed trainer Gassim Ghazali his first win of the day by claiming the Derby Day Thoroughbred Handicap Cup 75-95 – Class 3 title.Lukasek completed a quick brace by leading Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki-trained Harb to win in 1850m Qatar Derby - Local Thoroughbreds for three-year-old only, soon after guiding al-Malki-trained Dayyan to Al Rayyan Thoroughbred Handicap Cup triumph.Lukas Delozier also stood in the victory stand after riding Rudy Andre Nerbonne-trained Muale’m to win in 2,000m Qatar National Derby - Local Purebred Arabians for four-year-old only – Far Bend.Also yesterday, Wasim al-Sahn-trained Hadlan with Tom Marquand in the saddle claimed the Qatar Derby - Local Purebred Arabians for three-year-old only, winning the 1600m race by over a length.Results 24th Race Meeting – Qatar Derby(Horse, Trainer, Jockey)1. Qatar Derby (QA Gr1) - Thoroughbreds (3yo Only) (Class 1) (Far Bend)Emperor Maximus, Gassim Ghazali, Marco Casamento2. Qatar International Derby (Gr2 Pa) - Purebred Arabians (4yo Only) (Far Bend)Moshrif, Francois Rohaut, Jim Crowley3. Al Rayyan Stakes - Thoroughbreds (2yo Only) (Class 1) (Far Bend)Bariloche, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas4. Qatar National Derby - Local Purebred Arabians (4yo Only) (Far Bend)Muale’m, Rudy Andre Nerbonne, Lukas Delozier5. Qatar Derby (Gr3 Pa) - Purebred Arabians (3yo Only)Al Ghadeer, Francois Rohaut, Maxime Guyon6. Qatar Derby - Local Purebred Arabians (3yo Only)Hadlan, Wasim al-Sahn, Tom Marquand7. Qatar Derby - Local Thoroughbreds (3yo Only)Harb, Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki, Tomas Lukasek8. Al Rayyan Thoroughbred Handicap Cup 0-85 (2yo Only) (Class 4)Dayyan, Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki, Tomas Lukasek9. Derby Day Thoroughbred Handicap Cup 75-95 (Class 3)Devious Company, Gassim Ghazali, Maxime Guyon10. Local Thoroughbred Premium Maiden CupAtlantic Sun, Alban Elie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas

Before Pele made his debut for Brazil, the South American nation had never won the World Cup. By the time he retired, they had won three - more than any other team.Arguably Pele's greatest contribution to both soccer and Brazil was to transform his underachieving nation into a footballing superpower."Pre-1958 Brazil has a rich football heritage but it was not the country of football," David Tryhorn, co-director of the 2021 Netflix documentary "Pele," told Reuters."Post-1970 the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Brazil is football. And while there is a wildly talented double generation of players responsible for that, the unifying figure is Pele."He remains the only player to have played for three World Cup winning teams, although his experiences in the tournament varied greatly.He burst on to the scene at the age of 17 in 1958, scoring six goals in the knock-out stages, including two in the final against Sweden, as Brazil recorded their first triumph._________________________________Read also:Pele, Brazilian football legend, dies at 82How many?! Pele's astonishing goal recordTributes pour in in for Pelé, 'The King of Football'The only player to have won World Cup title three timesPele, eternal king of the beautiful game_________________________________Four years later in Chile he was injured in Brazil's second match, and Garrincha stepped up to play the starring role in Brazil's second consecutive win.Pele hoped to make it three-in-a-row in England in 1966 but Brazil were knocked out in the group stage.After retiring from international football for two years he returned in time for Mexico 1970, determined to win the Jules Rimet trophy and go out on a high. His performances in what is often called the greatest team of all time capped his international career.He was supported by an ensemble cast. Rivellino's bending free kicks, Jairzinho's record of scoring in all seven games of the finals, and captain Carlos Alberto's glorious fourth goal in the final against Italy were all unforgettable to an audience watching a World Cup broadcast live and in colour for the first time.But it was Pele, already widely held to be the greatest player of all time, who truly captured the imagination.The audacious shot from the halfway line against Czechoslovakia, the outrageous dummy that bamboozled the Uruguayan goalkeeper, and the amazing header turned round the post by Gordon Banks all went down in history.None of those chances resulted in goals, but even when he didn't score his invention shone through, cementing the image of the Brazilian footballer as the world's most creative player and Brazil as the spiritual home of what would forever be called "the beautiful game"."Brazil's performance in the World Cup final of 1970 was a masterclass," said the late England goalkeeper Banks. "On that day Brazil firmly planted their flag on the summit of world football, a peak to which all other teams must aspire."

Brazil football great Pele died on Thursday aged 82 after a long battle with cancer. Following are reactions to his death:LULA, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF BRAZILI had the privilege that younger Brazilians didn't have: I saw Pele play, live, at Pacaembu and Morumbi. Play, no. I saw Pele give a show. Because when he got the ball he always did something special, which often ended up in a goal.___________________________Read also:Pele, Brazilian football legend, dies at 82The only player to have won World Cup title three timesHow many?! Pele's astonishing goal record'The summit of world football': what Pele did for BrazilPele, eternal king of the beautiful game___________________________FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO, ON INSTAGRAMPele: Immortal - forever with usFORMER BRAZIL PRESIDENT DILMA ROUSSEFFThank you, Pele! Thank you for the smiles you provided. For the tears of emotion. For the cries of goal. Thank you for the joy you gave the Brazilian people and the people of the world. No one has been a king so loved. I convey to the Brazilian women and to his family my immense sorrow.BRAZIL FORWARD NEYMARBefore Pele, "10" was just a number.I read that phrase somewhere, at some point in my life.But that phrase, beautiful, is incomplete.I'd say before Pele, football was just a sport.Pele changed everything.He turned football into art, into entertainment.He gave voice to the poor, to the blacks and especially:It gave visibility to Brazil.Football and Brazil have elevated their status thanks to the King!He's gone, but his magic will remain.Pele is ETERNAL!!BRAZIL CAPTAIN THIAGO SILVA, ON INSTAGRAMRest in peace 'Rei' (King), God bless all his family"BRAZILIAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION"Pele was much more than the greatest sportsman of all time. The King of football was the ultimate exponent of a victorious Brazil, never afraid of any difficulty. A black, poor boy born in Tres Coracoes, Pele showed us that there is always a new path. He promised his father he would win a World Cup and he won us three, in addition to scoring 95 goals in 113 games with Brazil's national team. The King gave us a new Brazil and we can only thank him for his legacy. Thank you, Pele."THE Pele FOUNDATIONInspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who peacefully passed away today. On his journey, Edson enchanted the world with his genius in sport, stopped a war, carried out social works all over the world and spread what he most believed to be the cure for all our problems: love.His message today becomes a legacy for future generations.Love, love and love, forever.ARGENTINA CAPTAIN LIONEL MESSI"Rest in peace, @Pele".ARGENTINA PRESIDENT ALBERTO FERNANDEZ"One of the greatest footballers in history has left us. We will always remember those years when Pele dazzled the world with his skills. A big hug to his family and to the people of Brazil who will carry him in their hearts."PORTUGAL STRIKER CRISTIANO RONALDO, ON INSTAGRAMMy deepest condolences to all of Brazil, and in particular to the family of Mr. Edson Arantes do Nascimento. A mere "goodbye" to the eternal King Pele will never be enough to express the pain that embraces the whole world of football at this moment. An inspiration for so many millions, a reference of yesterday, of today, of always. The affection he always showed for me was reciprocated in all the moments we shared, even at a distance. He will never be forgotten and his memory will last forever in each one of us, football lovers. Rest in peace, King Pele.FRANCE STRIKER KYLIAN MBAPPE, ON TWITTERThe king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING ...FORMER ENGLAND PLAYER GEOFF HURST"I have so many memories of Pele, without doubt the best footballer I ever played against (with Bobby Moore being the best footballer I ever played alongside). For me Pele remains the greatest of all time and I was proud to be on the pitch with him. RIP Pele and thank you."BRAZIL'S LOWER HOUSE SPEAKER ARTHUR LIRA"Brazil and the world mourn the death of our eternal number 10, the greatest football player of all time. I send his family my sympathies and convey, on behalf of the Lower House, a tribute to a symbol that honored and dignified Brazil and its people. The king of football for the whole world. Pele, the man, leaves us. But the eternal Pele will live forever."FORMER ENGLAND PLAYER GARY LINEKERPele has died. The most divine of footballers and joyous of men. He played a game only a few chosen ones have come close to. 3 times he lifted the most coveted gold trophy in that beautiful yellow shirt. He may have left us but he’ll always have footballing immortality. RIP Pele.FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF WALESPele broke our hearts in 1958 to score his first World Cup goal to knock Cymru out. Today our hearts are broken again. A true sporting legend. Our thoughts are with the people of Brazil and the world football family.URUGUAYAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATIONOn the passing of Pele, a legend of World Football, the Uruguayan Football Association salutes with deep sorrow the Brazilian Football Confederation and the Brazilian people at this difficult time.POLAND STRIKER ROBERT LEWANDOWSKIRest in peace Champion. Heaven has a new star, and the football world lost a hero.STEFANO DOMENICALI, CEO OF FORMULA 1Very sad to hear the news that Pele, one of (the) greatest footballers ever has passed away. He was a shining light for Brazil and millions around the world. His skill, smile and brilliance will live on forever. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.MANCHESTER UNITEDRest in peace, Pele. Thank you for the joy you brought to football fans around the world.UNESCOWe are deeply saddened by the passing of Pele. We extend our condolences to the Brazilian people and the football family. Pele was @UNESCO Champion for Sport since 1994 and worked relentlessly to promote sport as a tool for peace. He will be greatly missed.CONMEBOL, SOUTH AMERICAN FOOTBALL'S GOVERNING BODYAlready light up the sky the star of the King, the first 10, the player with more World Cups. Thank you for putting South America on top. We will miss you. You will always shine in our hearts.Eternal Glory to the King.BRAZIL MIDFIELDER CASEMIRORest in peace, King Pele. Thank you for the glory you gave to Brazil and to football. Your legacy is eternal.ARGENTINA WORLD CUP WINNER OSVALDO ARDILESThe King of Kings has died. Extraordinary player. Unique. Three times World Cup winner, more than 1,000 goals. My idol when young. He made football the beautiful game and truly international. My time playing alongside him in Escape to Victory was a dream come true. RIP Pele.BRAZIL WORLD CUP WINNER RIVALDOI am grateful to God that Pele is Brazilian. Our football is known and respected worldwide for everything he did on the pitch and this will never be forgotten. I am proud to have played in two World Cups with the number 10, which was consecrated by him.King Pele, your legacy is eternal. May God bless and comfort the hearts of the family. Rest in Peace, King Pele.PORTUGAL PRESIDENT MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSAThe President of the Republic mourns the death of Pele, the extraordinary Brazilian football player that enchanted us for decades.Pele was a king of football, a symbol of Brazil, he marked generations and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest in the most popular sport in the world.President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa offers his deepest condolences to the Brazilian people, to Pele's family and friends and to all those who cry for the passing of a legend.BRAZIL FORWARD RICHARLISONToday football bids farewell to its most beautiful chapter. Of the guy who enchanted the world and changed the history of the game forever. You will always be the greatest because 60 years ago, with all the difficulties you faced, you were already doing what very few can do today.The guy who dedicated his 1,000th goal to the children and made our country discover that it could do so much more. You are and always will be incomparable, King. You are eternal! Thank you and may God receive you with open arms.SPANISH CLUB BARCELONABarca deeply regrets the death of "Rei" Pele, one of the greatest players of all time. With him, football became greater. May he rest in peace.

Pele won three World Cup titles with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970 - the only player to have won the showpiece tournament three times.Other facts on the career statistics of former Brazil forward Pele, who has died at the age of 82:* Became the youngest-ever player to win the World Cup trophy at 17, a record that still stands.* Scored 757 goals in 812 official matches for club and country, a record that stood for decades until Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo eclipsed his tally.* Brazil's football association (CBF) and Santos say Pele scored a total of 1,283 goals in 1,367 matches while FIFA puts the figure at 1,281 goals in 1,366 games. Other sources give varying figures depending on the types of games included._________________________________Read also:Pele, Brazilian football legend, dies at 82How many?! Pele's astonishing goal recordTributes pour in in for Pelé, 'The King of Football''The summit of world football': what Pele did for BrazilPele, eternal king of the beautiful game_________________________________* Netted 77 goals in 92 official matches for Brazil - the country's all-time leading goal scorer, alongside Neymar, who netted his 77th goal in the 2022 World Cup.* Scored 12 goals in World Cups.* Registered six assists at Mexico 1970 - a record for one World Cup.* Scored 92 hat-tricks across official and unofficial games.* Scored 127 goals for Santos in 1959, thought to be the most goals scored by a club player in one calendar year.* Finished as Santos' top scorer with 643 goals in 659 competitive matches.* Won Brazil's Serie A six times with Santos (1961-1965 and 1968).* Led Santos to two Copa Libertadores titles (1962 and 1963).