Arguably the greatest football player ever, Brazil icon Pele has passed away. The news was confirmed

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25. Alan 'Skill' Cole and Pele

Skill and Bob



The Night Pele Played in Jamaica

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People with long memories remember the name, Pele, who played in Jamaica in the fall of 1975. This was his second visit to the island and at this time Pele had become a member of the New York Cosmos. Also, he was undoubtedly the ambassador of this beautiful game called football (soccer). With his smiling face, he won the hearts of many Jamaicans. Even though he was now in his mid-thirties, he was regarded as the greatest footballer of all time.

Most importantly, Pele’s 1975 trip to Jamaica was one of the most popular trips of a celebrity anticipated by Jamaicans. Upon his arrival, Jamaicans gave a historical welcome. Pele played two games in Haiti before Kingston. He arrived on a private jet. Passing lines of fans along the way, he went to visit Prime Minister. As Pele met the press and public, one of his young fans asked, “Is there any footballer greater than you?”

“Only one, my father,” Pele responded.

Battle of the Giants

The match took place on the night of September 21. It was regarded as the “Battle of the Giants.” This match was touted heavily as a showdown between Pele and Alan ‘Skill’ Cole. In this match, Pele led the Cosmos against Alan Cole, who was Jamaica’s giant. Cole himself was a legend in his time. He had a great journey from a magical schoolboy player to a mighty club forward. No doubt, Cole had enormous talents and peerless ability. For that reason, he was able to read plays even before they occurred. Cole remained in total command of the field throughout the match. As compared to any other Jamaican footballer of his generation, Cole had reached further. In the late 60s, he had experience in the North American league. Also, he played for Nautico in Brazil. Most importantly, Cole decided to return home even he could have gone further. He first met Pele in 1971. At that time, he was only 21 years old.

The night Pele played in Jamaica was memorable. There were thousands of Jamaican fans who filled up the stadium seats. These fans believed they were seeing the closest thing ever to a real-life World Cup experience. There was a roar that greeted Pele and Cole. Unfortunately, neither the king nor his team was in good form. Also, Pele fell victim to a dangerous tackle an hour into the game. After he limped off the field, the fans endured the rest of an aimless game. In the end, Santos takes the trophy with a 1 goal win over the opponents.

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