O Rei Está Morto

Brazilian football legend Pelé, arguably the greatest player ever, has died at the age of eighty two. He is credited with scoring a world record twelve hundred and eighty one goals in thirteen hundred and sixty three appearances during a twenty one-year career, including seventy seven goals in ninety two matches for his country. A few of them were a bit good. The only player to win the World Cup three times, being part of the Brazil squads when they won the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970 (although he missed the 1962 final through injury), Pelé was named as FIFA's Player of the Century in 2000. He had been suffering with kidney and prostate problems in recent years. Pelé had surgery to remove a tumour from his colon in September 2021 at the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, after the tumour was detected during routine tests. He was readmitted to hospital in late November 2022. His daughter Kely Nascimento has kept fans updated on her father's condition with regular social media updates from hospital. On Thursday she posted a picture of what appeared to be Pelé's family's hands on his body in hospital and wrote: 'Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.' Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in October 1940, in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, the son of Fluminense footballer Dondinho (João Ramos do Nascimento) and Celeste Arantes. He grew up in poverty in Bauru, São Paulo and earned money for his family by working in tea shops. Taught to play by his father, he could not afford a proper football and usually played with either a sock stuffed with newspaper and tied with string, or a grapefruit. He made his debut for Santos FC in 1956 and was in the national side a year later as a seventeen year old. After the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, wealthy European clubs, such as Real Madrid, Juventus and The Scum, tried to sign him. In 1958, Inter Milan even managed to do so, but Angelo Moratti was forced to tear the contract up at the request of Santos' chairman following a revolt by Santos' fans. He would remain at Santos until 1974. He then came out of retirement and enjoyed three seasons - and celebrity status - playing for New York Cosmos in the late 1970s. He also appeared in Escape To Victory (1981) but we can probably forgive him for that. In 1970, Pelé was investigated by Brazil's military dictatorship for suspected leftist sympathies. Declassified documents showed Pelé was investigated after being handed a manifesto calling for the release of political prisoners. Pelé did not get further involved with political struggles in the country after that. Among the most successful and popular sporting figures of the Twentieth Century, Pelé was one of the most lauded players in the history of football and was frequently ranked as the best player ever. Following his emergence at the 1958 World Cup he was nicknamed O Rei ('The King'). Among his contemporaries, Dutch star Johan Cruyff (in this blogger's opinion, the only player who could push Pelé close to the title of the world's greatest player) stated, 'Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic.' Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning captain, Carlos Alberto opined: 'His great secret was improvisation. Those things he did were in one moment. He had an extraordinary perception of the game.' According to Tostão, his strike partner at the 1970 World Cup: 'Pelé was the greatest - he was simply flawless. And off the pitch he is always smiling and upbeat. You never see him bad-tempered. He loves being Pelé.' Another Brazil teammate, Clodoaldo, commented on the adulation he witnessed: 'In some countries they wanted to touch him, in some they wanted to kiss him. In others they even kissed the ground he walked on. I thought it was beautiful.' According to Franz Beckenbauer, West Germany's 1974 World Cup-winning captain: Pelé was 'the greatest player of all time. He reigned supreme for twenty years. There's no one to compare with him.' Former Real Madrid and Hungary star Ferenc Puskás stated: 'The greatest player in history was [Alberto] Di Stéfano. I refuse to classify Pelé as a player. He was above that.' Just Fontaine, French striker and leading scorer at the 1958 World Cup said 'When I saw Pelé play, it made me feel I should hang up my boots.' England's Bobby Moore commented: 'Pelé was the most complete player I've ever seen, he had everything. Two good feet. Magic in the air. Quick. Powerful. Could beat people with skill. Could outrun people. Only five feet and eight inches tall, yet he seemed a giant of an athlete on the pitch. Perfect balance and impossible vision. He was the greatest because he could do anything and everything on a football pitch. I remember Saldanha the coach being asked by a Brazilian journalist who was the best goalkeeper in his squad. He said Pelé. The man could play in any position.' Sir Bobby Charlton added: 'I sometimes feel as though football was invented for this magical player.' During the 1970 World Cup, when Paddy Crerand (who was part of the ITV panel) was asked, 'How do you spell Pelé?', he replied, Easy: 'G-O-D.' Pelé was also known to be a fair player, who stood out for his charismatic leadership and sportsmanship on the pitch. His warm embrace of Bobby Moore following the Brazil's narrow victory over England at the 1970 World Cup is viewed as the embodiment of sportsmanship, with the New York Times stating the image 'captured the respect that two great players had for each other. As they exchanged jerseys, touches and looks, the sportsmanship between them is all in the image. No gloating, no fist-pumping from Pelé. No despair, no defeatism from Bobby Moore.' In his early career, he played in a variety of attacking positions. Although he usually operated as a centre forward, his wide range of skills also allowed him to play in a more withdrawn role. In his later career, he took on more of a deeper playmaking role behind the strikers, often functioning as, effectively, an attacking midfielder. Pelé's unique playing style combined speed, creativity and technical skill with physical power, stamina and athleticism. His excellent technique, balance, flair, agility and dribbling skills enabled him to beat opponents with the ball and frequently saw him use sudden changes of direction and elaborate feints in order to get past players. It's a largely forgotten football fact that Pelé even once played against this blogger's beloved Magpies. The game came when Newcastle embarked on a four-match tour of the Far East. The date was 4 June 1972 at the Happy Valley stadium in Hong Kong and the match was between United and Santos. Pelé, was then thirty one and the game came two years after Brazil's triumph in Mexico and a year after he had retired from international football, but the man in the number ten shirt could still pack a mighty punch. Former Toon full-back Frankie Clark recalled the game: 'We were two-one up at half-time. We were the better team before the break, but it was a different matter after half-time. Pelé suddenly decided to turn it on. He scored three fantastic goals in about fifteen minutes. After that, he went off .. we lost four-two but it was a great experience being on the same pitch as the world's best player.' Presenting Pelé with the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award, former South African president Nelson Mandela said, 'To watch him play was to watch the delight of a child combined with the extraordinary grace of a man in full.' Andy Warhol (who painted a portrait of Pelé) said 'Pelé was one of the few who contradicted my theory: instead of fifteen minutes of fame, he will have fifteen centuries.' After retirement he became a global ambassador for the game and a UNESCO goodwill ambassador. He dabbled, briefly, in politics (he was Brazil's minister of sport for two years in the 1990s). He assisted Rio's bid for the 2016 Olympics and supported various charitable causes, such as Action for Brazil's Children, Gols Pela Vida, SOS Children's Villages, The Littlest Lamb, Prince's Rainforests Project and others. Married three times, he fathered seven children.

'It's funny what a difference in sport a year can make'. This blogger's beloved (and now, mercifully, sold) Magpies cruised past Leicester City with three first-half goals to claim a sixth consecutive Premier League win and move up to second in the table in the Boxing Day clash. Just to remind anyone that may have forgotten, on the day after Boxing Day 2021, The Magpies drew one-all with The Scum at St James' Park and, after nineteen matches they sat second bottom of The Premier League with but eleven points and only one win and with relegation to The Championship looking a racing certainty. Things have improved, somewhat, since then. Chris Wood kick-started a dominant performance by smashing the opener from the penalty spot before Miguel Almirón glided past the Leicester defence to tuck away the second. Joelinton headed the third from a Kieran Trippier corner for his second goal of the season as The Magpies demonstrated the clinical edge that the hosts were missing. With England midfielder James Maddison out of the Leicester squad, as he continued to recover from a knee issue sustained before the World Cup, Brendan Rodgers' side were toothless in attack and dodgy in defence. Jamie Vardy (you know, Rebekah's husband) was introduced off the bench to add pace to The Foxes' attack in the second half and he managed to get in down the side on a couple of occasions but there was no blue shirt to meet his crosses. The Magpies are four points behind leaders The Arse, who have played two fewer games. Leicester - who registered just two tame efforts on target in the final ten minutes - remain thirteenth. Newcastle were the form team in the Premier League before the World Cup break, having recorded successive wins over Everton, Stottingtot Hotshots, Aston Villains, Southampton and The Club Formerly Known As Moscow Chelski FC. England forward Callum Wilson was missing from the matchday squad because of illness, but the match could not have started better for the visitors as Joelinton was brought down inside the area by a swipe of Daniel Amartey's leg with only a minute on the clock. Wood drilled the ball down the middle to beat goalkeeper Danny Ward and open the scoring. Leicester's defence lacked an intensity in the absence of the experienced Jonny Evans, and Almirón was the beneficiary for the second as he glided past the blue shirts after a sweeping move involving Trippier and Bruno Guimarães to open up his body and find the far corner with a finish he practised so diligently in the warm-up. The game was over as a contest before the interval when Joelinton was rewarded for his endeavour with a powerful headed goal as he completely lost marker Youri Tielemans. Leicester failed to produced their first shot on target until the eighty second minute, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's tame effort failing to trouble goalkeeper Nick Pope. The hosts will be hoping for playmaker Maddison to return from his knee injury quickly as they seek to move up the table in the weeks ahead. Th' Toon's next game is at home to Dirty Leeds United on New Year's Eve.

Too Much Pressure

England will meet France in the World Cup Quarter-Finals on Saturday after an impressive demolition of Senegal at Al Bayt Stadium. Gareth Southgate's side survived a nervy opening in which goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made an outstanding save from Boulaye Dia to run out convincing winners with a powerful display of attacking strength. Jude Bellingham was England's star man, setting up the first goal for Jordan Henderson with a perfect cross after thirty eight minutes then having a hand in the second on the stroke of half-time, combining with Phil Foden as captain Harry Kane powered home his first of the tournament. It left Kane just one behind Wayne Rooney's all-time record of fifty three England goals and he now has the perfect stage here in Qatar to write a fresh page in the history books. Foden was the creator once more as England wrapped the game up in the fifty seventh minute, crossing for Bukayo Saka to show great awareness and touch to flick a delicate finish past Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. It capped the perfect night for coach Southgate, who opted to restore Saka and keep faith with Foden, leaving out Marcus Rashford despite his two goals in the win over Wales. Raheem Sterling was not considered as he dealt with 'a family matter.'

With twenty minutes to go and England's winning three-nil, this blogger was absolutely burstin' for a wee-wee. But, he was too nervous to leave The Stately Telly Topping Manor Plague House armchair and go to the lavvy in case England concede four goals whilst he was away. Stranger things have happened. Despite the potential damage to his kidneys, he held on till the final whistle. The relief was immense (and, this blogger isn't talking about the result).

Over The Line Or Over Ze Hill?

Did the ball cross the line, dear blog reader? That is the age-old World Cup question for Ze Chermans, who crashed out of The World Cup as Japan beat Spain thanks to an opinion-dividing winner which left some scratching their heads. Kaoru Mitoma's cutback for Ao Tanaka's tap-in happened after the ball looked (from some camera angles, at least) to have crossed the byeline. Even after cropping and zooming in on the footage, it looked incredibly close. Eventually it was ruled that the ball had not fully crossed the line. In other words, if you drew an imaginary line upwards at ninety degrees from the far edge of the whitewash, it would have still passed through the curve of the ball - albeit only just - even though the part of the ball that touched the ground had fully crossed the line. The goal was initially ruled out by the assistant referee after a long pause, then the video assistant referee intervened and ultimately Japan's lead would stand - and they would go on to win.

Notoriously cowardly appeasers of fascists and dictators FIFA said on Friday that 'the video match officials used the goalline camera images to check if the ball was still partially on the line.' It added: 'Other cameras may offer misleading images but on the evidence available, the whole of the ball was not out of play.' 'I have seen a photo that must have been tampered with, it cannot be that this photo is real. It has to be manipulated,' claimed Spain coach Luis Enrique. 'I felt that something fishy was going on when the VAR took as much time as it did to decide.' He added that this was, clearly, a massive conspiracy involving The CIA and The Rand Corporation. And The Saucer People. And The Reverse Vampires. Probably. There was definitely something suspicious going on up at The Grassy Knoll he added. 'Luckily, the team only goes into collapse mode once every four years, otherwise I wouldn't be able to cope.' The controversy evoked memories of Frank Lampard's 'ghost goal' against Germany in 2010, when England went out in the last sixteen and - no doubt for German fans of a certain vintage - of 1966 (and all that) and Geoff Hurst's extra-time effort when England won the World Cup. Which was over the line and was correctly awarded. 

It was a frantic and thrilling Thursday evening which began with Belgium, the side ranked second in the world, being eliminated after a goalless draw with Croatia in Group F. And, halfway through the second-half of the late games, both Germany and the 2010 winners Spain were, for about three minutes, both set for an early flight home. At the break Germany had a comfortable one-nil lead over Costa Rica, with Spain also winning as both European sides seemed to be cruising into the last sixteen. Then the drama unfolded rapidly. Japan levelled against Spain four minutes into the second period. Then, incredibly, a mere one hundred and forty seconds later, they were in front. Japan and Spain, despite trailing, were heading through. With just under forty minutes to go Germany and Costa Rica were going out. 'The Japan fans around me can barely believe their eyes,' said BBC Sport's Chris Bevan. 'An incredible turnaround from their team, with the added drama of a long VAR delay.' Defeat for Spain wasn't a disaster, unless Costa Rica - then trailing to Germany - took the lead. But then, Costa Rica equalised in the fifty eighth minute and, twelve minutes later, they did go ahead. Costa Rica were suddenly set to advance with Japan at Spain's expense. However, that lead lasted for only four minutes before Kai Havertz levelled for Germany.

If Germany thought the reaction to their elimination at the 2018 World Cup in Russia was bad, wait until they see the headlines back home this time around. Despite their eventual four-two win over Costa Rica, Hansi Flick's side were eliminated in the group stages for the second successive World Cup as Japan topped the group following their two-one victory against second-placed Spain. For the four-time winners Germany, whose most recent triumph was in Brazil only eight years ago, it has been a steep and chastening decline. And, you know, feking funny. The German press, former players and pundits have all had their say on the nation's World Cup exit - and the future of manager Herr Flick with Germany set to host Euro 2024. Although it is to their great credit that, on this occasion, the Germans resisted the overwhelming temptation to invade Poland. Good on ya, Germany, you're an inspiration to us all. The BBC's Berlin correspondent Jenny Hill says 'frustration and fury best sum up the mood in Germany' with the 'sense of humiliation widespread.' So, now they know how the rest of us frequently feel after World Cup disaster. Over here, it's a regular occurrence. German newspaper Bild did not hold back in their criticism of the team's performance, labelling the side 'a soccer dwarf.' Which is a bit insulting. To dwarves. They go on to suggest 'nobody' in the Germany camp - from the players to the coaching staff - can be considered world class and have marked 1 December as 'the end of a once great and proud soccer nation.' Die Welt, meanwhile, said German football has hit 'rock bottom' and 'must stop lying to itself,' citing the need for 'fundamental change' to improve results. Suddeutsche Zeitung led with the headline 'the result that fits the big mess', while Faz says the return to the top of world football is 'just an illusion for Germany.' Elsewhere, Kicker.de said 'only a nine-two' result would have helped a Germany side who have 'failed again' and Der Spiegel has started an inquest into the reasons behind the nation's piss-poor performance, labelling the people behind it as 'stubborn.' Schadenfreude is a German word, isn't it? Just checking. The criticism of Germany from former players and pundits started mere minutes after the final whistle blew in Al Khor to confirm their exit. Former captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, who played one hundred and twenty one times for Germany, said that the blame lies with the players. 'Hansi didn't do that much wrong,' he told German broadcaster Ard. 'I'm really disappointed and shocked at how it went. The appearance of the national team is not enough. We invited the opponent. The fundamental problem is that we often invite the opponent.' Herr Flick vehemently disagreed with Schweinsteiger, calling his analysis 'absolute nonsense. There are so many reasons [for Germany's exit], but I am not looking to find excuses,' he added. 'We did not have a lot of time to train, but it is not down to that. We fulfilled our duty today and went off the pitch with a victory, but the result could have been better.' That's Herr Flick, not looking to find excuses, there. Ex-Germany midfielder Sami Khedira was critical of Herr Flick, telling Ard the manager 'got bogged down a bit with the line-up' by playing Bayern München's Joshua Kimmich at right-back instead of central midfield. However, Khedira did back Flick to stay on as Germany manager. 'Kimmich wants to be in the middle and Leon Goretzka is not a connection player - Flick gambled a bit on that,' he said. 'But [Flick] has already proven [his credentials] at Bayern. He's very clear, has a great team and a good game idea. He's strict, but at the same time a people catcher. I'd like Hansi to stay.'

German Football Association president Oberst-Gruppenführer Bernd Neuendorf said that a meeting will be held next week with Flick and technical director Oliver Bierhoff to identify the reasons behind Germany's World Cup failure, while looking ahead to Euro 2024. 'You can imagine that today there is deep disappointment,' said Neuendorf. 'This elimination is extremely painful. But we have to look ahead and so we will lead a process on how to deal with this. I am a strong supporter of clear processes and expect to hold these talks with respect and in private. We are taking the first step before the second step.' Former Germany striker and BBC pundit Jürgen Klinsmann likened the reaction in Germany to that of the English press when England regularly fail at major tournaments. And, again, with the schadenfreude. Which is, very definitely, not up Germany's collective Straßenbahn. 'The next couple of days will be very, very harsh and difficult because it's pretty much the third disappointment in a row,' he added. 'You can imagine if England leave in the group stage, what the media will do in England. It's similar to this in Germany.' Only, you know much, much funnier. Herr Klinsmann, who was a World Cup-winner with Germany in 1990, suggests that their failure to convert chances played a big part in their World Cup exit. No shit? So what Jürgen is, essentially, saying here is if they'd scored more goals, they would've won more matches. Flawless logic, you have to admit. 'That is definitely an on-the-pitch issue, that they didn't utilise the chances against Japan, they should have got the second goal far before Japan got back in the game. They've had a strong performance with Spain,' he said. Vorsprung durch Technik, guys, it's the way forward. Despite the side's disappointing performance in Qatar, Klinsmann added that there is hope for the future - especially in nineteen-year-old Bayern München midfielder Jamal Musiala. 'I think there's a lot of talent in that squad and they haven't found their high years yet,' he said. 'We have one wonder child, there's no doubt about it, in terms of performances in Musiala - he is an exceptional, exceptional player. There is a lot of talent, they can build things fairly quickly towards the Euros.'

A tearful Romelu Lukaku punched the side of the dugout - really hard - and had to be consoled as he sat with his shirt pulled over his head after the goalless draw with Croatia. It was clearly an outpouring of frustration for his role in Belgium's early exit from the World Cup. But perhaps it was also frustration at what feels like an end of an era for Belgium's 'golden generation'. Golden generation? Golden shower, more like. Belgium's failure is merely but the latest disappointment for a talented set of players who have repeatedly underwhelmed when it really mattered on the world stage. Manager Roberto Martinez hugged his players individually at full-time in what he later confirmed was his 'farewell' at the expiry of his contract. During his six years in charge, Martinez has had a squad packed full of superstars such as Sheikh Yer Man City's Kevin de Bruyne, Real Madrid's Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois and on-loan Inter Milan striker Lukaku. And yet they never reached a major final despite being ranked world number one from September 2018 to March 2022. Their highest finish was third at the World Cup in 2018. Belgium's starting XI had an average age of thirty one years and ninety five days against Croatia - the oldest for any side at a World Cup since 2010. Is this the end of a golden era for Belgian football? 'No, you've got players like Amadou Onana and Jeremy Doku. The "golden generation" is doing something to bring the next generation on,' claimed Martinez. One or two people even believed him. 'It's not necessarily what happens on the pitch. The legacy can be left in many ways. Now the standards need to carry on rising and the young players need to carry on this line.' Belgium's chance felt like it came in Russia four years ago. After impressively beating Brazil in the quarter-finals, they lost to eventual world champions France in the last four, conceding the only goal from a corner after dominating possession. It was progress from reaching the quarter-finals in 2014 and at the 2016 European Championship. But time was starting to run out last year when Belgium again failed to go beyond the quarter-finals at the delayed Euro 2020 and they headed to Qatar with an ageing squad. De Bruyne and Hazard are now both thirty one, while centre-back pairing Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld are thirty five and thirty three respectively. De Bruyne said earlier this week the squad was 'too old' to seriously consider winning this World Cup and it led to reports of unrest within the squad. Despite failing to reach the knockout stages, Martinez said 'there was no regrets' and Belgium can 'leave with our heads held high. We wanted to get through but I'm sure the other national teams wanted to get through and that's the tournament,' he told the BBC. 'In the previous World Cup we won three games in the group stage, we wanted to go all the way.' Belgium's tournament never really got going in Qatar. They only won one of their three group matches (and that was a fortunate one-nil victory over Canada who, for large sections of the game appeared the better side), scored just once and lost in a tame performance against eventual group winners Morocco. 'The first few games we were fearful and not the team we are. We listened to noise from outside and felt responsibility. We played thinking we could lose and be out and that's what cost us,' claimed Martinez. 'I felt if we had gone through then we would have seen the real Belgium.'

In a World Cup of numerous surprises, another one came on Friday when Hwang Hee-Chan gave South Korea a sensational injury-time victory over Portugal which meant that they edged out Uruguay to a last-sixteen place on goals scored. Hwang ran onto Son Heung-Min's defence-splitting pass in the ninety first minute to round off a rapid counter attack and start wild celebrations from his side's fans in the stands. South Korea had needed to win to stand any chance of joining Portugal in the knockout stage, but even following the final whistle, their progress was not secured. On the pitch and in the stands, players and supporters watched the final moments of Uruguay's game with Ghana, knowing another goal for the South American side would send them out. When that two-nil win was confirmed, a huge roar went around Education City Stadium, and South Korea were able to start the party for real. Meanwhile, there was a geet rive-on at the Al Janoub Stadium where the Uruguayans were getting all stroppy and discombobulated after the German referee, Herr Siebert, didn't award a late penalty for what appeared to be a foul on Edison Cavani. Television pictures focused on a blubbing-like-a-girl Luis Suárez sitting, disconsolately, on the bench having earlier been substituted. So, that was worth the licence fee all on its own.

Netherlands coach, sour-faced Louis van Gaal, says that the criticism of his team will not distract them from trying to win the World Cup. The Dutch beat Senegal and Qatar two-nil and drew with Ecuador in the group stages, but some have accused them of not being attacking enough. Van Gaal's side play the United States in the last sixteen on Saturday. 'In 2014 it was exactly the same, it was not different. It was very negative,' said Van Gaal. 'But, exact same thing now, same old, so I'm used to it and I think my players are also used to it. We're going to calmly continue on the path that we've embarked on.' Under Van Gaal, the Dutch lost to Argentina on penalties in the Semi-Finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The USA drew with Wales and impressed in a goalless game with England before beating Iran to progress to the last sixteen. '[USA] have an excellent team, I would say even one of the best teams,' added Van Gaal. 'It will be a tough match, but it's nothing we can't overcome. We also have a good team. But I'm not going to downplay the USA. I think they're an example of what a good team is. There are teams who have progressed who are not good teams, but who have great individual quality.'