As attention focuses on Brazil, memories return of Pele’s two Hillsborough visits

Pele, to you and me, with the man widely considered to be the world’s greatest-ever footballer striding out at Sheffield Wednesday’s home not once, but twice in the Sixties and Seventies.

As the attention of football lovers across the globe casts its gaze on Brazil, the sight of endless images of the country’s greatest icon and World Cup ambassador is the only prediction one can safely make ahead of the start of this summer’s jamboree on Thursday.

For more seasoned Wednesdayites tuning into the hosts’ opener against Croatia in Sao Paulo and viewing the omnipresent images of Pele in the stands beforehand, they will be forgiven for a spot of reminiscence.

Pele strutted his stuff at S6 on a famous autumnal night in October 1962 and just under a decade later on a cold winter’s afternoon in February 1972.

His first appearance alongside his Santos team-mates in an exhibition match may have been infinitely more spectacular, but on both occasions, it was about Pele’s mere presence as much as what he did on the pitch that captivated the Steel City public.

As modern-day supporters will consider it a badge of honour to view Lionel Messi in the flesh, so many Sheffielders will be able to say that when Pele was in town: ‘I was there.’

The three-time World Cup winner first strode out for Santos at Hillsborough in front of 49,058 fans on October 22, 1962, having celebrated his 22nd birthday the day before his appearance at the famous ground.

The watching world got just a brief, but tantalising glimpse, of Pele’s blessed talent in that summer’s World Cup in Chile, with the gifted forward tearing a thigh muscle in the group match against Czechoslovakia.

It ruled Pele out of the tournament and he was forced to watch on as Garrincha inspired Brazil to retain the cup.

But Pele’s legend was set in stone by the time the 1962 Intercontinental Cup arrived in Santos’ trophy cabinet that September, as he helped his club beat Eusebio’s Benfica 8-4 over two legs, firing a hat-trick in Lisbon to lay claim to be the best player on the planet.

His mesmeric skills were then transported to Hillsborough in a friendly game in which Santos triumphed 4-2 and while his team-mate Coutinho hit a hat-trick, it was Pele’s footballing gifts from the gods which had Yorkshire folk talking – and the press.

Back then, English football writers were widely suspicious of South American domestic football, but Pele converted them in a game which saw Billy Griffin and Bronco Lane net for the hosts.

The Guardian’s Eric Todd certainly thought so, with his report headlined “Pele’s brilliance beggars belief’ while the Daily Mirror’s John Bromley added: “Here was proof, if proof was needed, that Pele is the world’s greatest inside forward and Santos are the world’s finest club team.”

Pele’s impact is best remembered for a penalty which saw him not just fool Owls and England goalkeeper Ron Springett, but also around 20,000 fans packed into the Kop, when after a lengthy run-up, he stopped and coolly sent him the wrong way.

Pele made his second coming with Santos at Hillsborough on Wednesday, February 23, 1972 with energy restrictions caused by the miners’ strike ensuring the game was switched from a 7.30pm kick-off to 2.30pm.

It was not just the floodlights which failed to illuminate matters, with Santos failing to hit the heights of 1962, but still winning 2-0 against the Owls, who finished in mid-table in the old Second Division in 1971-72.

The strange midweek kick-off time didn’t stop 36,996 people turning out to watch, mainly to see Pele – Wednesday’s home game with Watford just four days earlier attracted just 13,934.

Many of the crowd were young kids who had ‘bunked’ off school, with a memory for many being Tommy Craig shadowing Pele in the last 10 minutes in order to get his shirt at the final whistle.

No such tangible mementos of Pele for his audience that day, but something for the memory vaults.