Brazilian Legend Pele Reveals the Most Devastating Part of His Hugely Successful Career
By 90min
Brazilian footballing legend Pele has revealed the worst moment he ever endured during his hugely impressive career. The now 77-year-old admits that the injury he suffered during the 1966 World Cup was the most devastating moment of his playing days.
Pele was a winner. 1958 and 1962 had seen Brazil lift the World Cup trophy in his first two competitions, and he planned on collecting a third in England back in '66.
However, it wasn't to be, and Pele has explained why it hit him so hard at the time, discussing just how hard he worked in order to earn his third successive World Cup triumph:
"I had few hard moments when I was playing." Pele told Globoesporte.
"The worst moment of when I was playing in the highest level was in 66. In 62, I had got hurt but I was still able to play. However, in 66, my dream was to thrive in England, because the English had brought football to Brazil... you need to see how much I trained for that.
(You may also be interested in Brazilian Legend Pele Gives 2017 Ballon d'Or Winner Cristiano Ronaldo the Best Possible Tribute)
"After the training, everyone went home but I stayed at Maracanã running. I thought that I needed to have an amazing World Cup in England. Unfortunately, it was the WC that I got injured, and Brazil lost.
"It's something that marks me to this day. No other bad moment compares to it, because I wanted to show off to the football country, England. Had been champion in 58, 62, and I was planning to end my National Team career with the title.
"And that's why I played 70. I was still well with Santos, so I played it. They still wanted me to play in the 1974 World Cup. But I said no, God was already too good for me, let me go out as a champion."