Graeme Souness says a chance chat with late icon Pele was enough to tell him all about the key qualities of one of football's greats.
The Rangers hero was remembering the Brazilian after it was confirmed last week he had passed at the age of 82 following a brave cancer battle. He is widely regarded as one of the best to have ever graced the pitch and for some he is the greatest of all time. That conversation has shifted slightly in Souness' eyes but at the time he met him over 30 years ago, there was little debate.
Despite the aura around him, the former Rangers manager told Sky Sports he was as humble as could be, taking an interest in others rather than focusing on himself. Souness explained: "I was fortunate to have met him. He was at Glasgow Airport, in Scotland for some reason. It was a long, long time ago, late 80s. There's nothing I can add about his football prowess.
"At the time, he was the very best. He was unchallengeable, he was the man, he was the best player in the world and best player who had ever been in the world.
"I know opinions might have changed on that now with Lionel Messi, and maybe Cristiano Ronaldo. But what came out when I met him - a five-minute conversation in his broken English - was how humble he was.
"He eyeballed you and showed an interest in what you were doing. He came across as a really humble, humble human being."
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