It is the delivery of the crown to the King in front of 80,000 subjects. On November 19, 1969, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, wrote a page of his legend. Under water trumpets and facing Vasco da Gama, the Brazilian striker from Santos scored the 1000th goal of his career. The three-time world champion (1958, 1962, 1970) admitted that he found it extremely difficult to bear the pressure on his shoulders when he set off for his penalty.
“I was like, 'What if the guard stops him? If I miss? Should I shoot the post? ””
Peeled“Before I took this penalty, I was shaking, revealed Pelé in the columns of the Gazzetta dello Sport, last November. I was afraid of failure. It was too much responsibility for me. I would have preferred to score in the game rather than from the penalty spot. ” Especially since the Brazilian, then aged 29, had not found the net for several meetings, remaining blocked at 999. "I said to myself:" What if the goalkeeper stops him? If I miss? If I shoot the post? "" So many questions that Pelé wishes, initially, left the penalty to the specialist of his team, Carlos Alberto. This pressure was shared by the goalkeeper of Vasco da Gama. "I felt like I was playing alone against the rest of the world," remembers Edgardo Andrada for the Fifa site. The noise was deafening. Even the supporters of Vasco were against me. ”
The 1000th goal of Pelé's career in November 1969
Lap of honor and match interrupted
The whistle blown, Pelé begins his race and opens his right foot. Andrada dives on the right side but cannot repel the shot from the Brazilian. The latter runs to the ball and kisses it. "For the love of God," he yells, before the supporters invade the lawn. Santos leads 2-1, there are 12 minutes left but everything stops. Pelé is carried in triumph and finds himself performing a lap of honor at the stadium. After no less than 25 minutes of interruption, the match resumes and comes to an end. “I was desperate, regrets Andrada. I really didn't want to go down in history this way. ” However, this is the case. Having his name associated with Pelé, there is surely worse.
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