To many generations, the death of Pele comes like hearing of the passing of a dear old friend.
He seemed to have been around for ever – his large ebony smile radiating from the sports pages around the world after each triumph like there could have been no other outcome. Indeed, he seemed to have proprietorial rights to the World Cup, having won it three times.
Under his guidance, the Brazilians were to manipulate our imaginations from the moment we witnessed a 17-year-old phenomenon, in the World Cup final in Sweden in 1958, perform with an elasticity and movement which was like watching Nureyev among break-dancers.
