Franz Beckenbauer Pele Germany Italy Brazil Usa South Africa New York New York state New Jersey Philadelphia Football Sporting athletics soccer Franz Beckenbauer Pele Germany Italy Brazil Usa South Africa New York New York state New Jersey Philadelphia

US soccer owes almost everything to Pele, who played with Jomo Sono at New York Cosmos

news24.com

US footballer Bobby Smith does not hold back his tears when paying tribute to "King" Pele: the rise of the game in the United States owes almost everything to the Brazilian legend, says his former New York Cosmos teammate.Still athletic at 71, Robert "Bobby" Smith spoke to AFP at his training center for budding players, the Bob Smith Soccer Academy, in his native New Jersey.At the edge of the indoor synthetic fields where children train, Smith, who was a top defender in his younger days, gazes fondly at a giant poster of him and Pele, who died Thursday of cancer at the age of 82.Smith, a professional player in Philadelphia in the 1970s, signed in 1976 with the New York Cosmos for $100,000.

Pele, coming out of semi-retirement at 34, had signed a year earlier for at least 10 times that amount and would lead the Cosmos to the 1977 North American soccer championship, with 31 goals in 56 games.Pele also played with South African legend Jomo Sono during his time at New York Cosmos.Smith is an ardent, lifelong fan of Pele.

As a young boy, he said he "never thought for a second that we'd be on the same team."The thought brings a smile to his face even today.'Like little kids'Pele was key in attracting an array of other talent to the Cosmos team: After American goalie Bob Rigby, recruited at the same time as Smith, came Italian Giorgio Chinaglia, German Franz Beckenbauer and Brazilian Carlos Alberto."It's almost like we were little kids every day when we were around him," Smith says.He is moved to tears as he stands before a photo of Pele's last match, in late 1977, when the star reached out to affectionately touch the younger man's cheek.He was a surprisingly humble man, says Smith, "just so kind to everybody.

Related News
BOGOTA: Colombia is the first Latin American country to meet FIFA president Gianni Infantino's request to name a stadium after Pele.
The coffin of the late Brazilian football star Pele is transported to the Santos’ Memorial Cemetery after the funeral procession in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on January 3, 2023. – Brazilian football legend Pele’s remains arrived Tuesday at the cemetery where he will be interred in a mausoleum, after three days of national mourning, a 24-hour wake and a massive funeral procession. Pele’s casket, draped in the Brazilian flag and that of his longtime club, Santos FC, arrived atop a red firetruck at the Santos Memorial Cemetery, near the stadium where “The King” began his rise to become what many consider the greatest footballer of all time. (Photo by CAIO GUATELLI / AFP)
Infantino was in the city of Santos, Brazil, to pay his final respects to the player widely considered the greatest of all time, who died Thursday at the age of 82.
A flood of fans, politicians and football dignitaries have flocked to pay their respects to the player known as "The King" in the southeastern city of Santos, home to the club where he spent most of his storied career.
Mourners wear jerseys with an image of Brazilian football legend Pele as they queue to get in the Urbano Caldeira stadium, also known as Vila Belmiro, where a wake in his honour is being held, in Santos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. – Brazilians bid a final farewell this week to football giant Pele, starting Monday with a 24-hour public wake at the stadium of his long-time team, Santos. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)

Latest News

Change privacy settings
This page might use cookies if your analytics vendor requires them.