#1 Pele
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When you think of World Cups, the first name that comes to mind is: Pele. When you think of beautiful football, the first name that comes to mind is: Pele. When you think of Brazil dominating world football, the first name that comes to mind is: Pele.
A footballer like no other, Pele reserved his best for the biggest stage in World football, the World Cup. Pele first burst onto the scene in 1958 as a young teenager and he absolutely took the tournament by storm, putting in some spellbinding performances right through the tournament. In 1958, Pele became the youngest player to score in a World Cup final when Brazil beat Sweden 5-2. Pele scored at the tender age of 17 and the record still stands to this date.
The 1962 World Cup was also won by Brazil, but Pele got injured after a couple of matches. The 1970 World Cup cemented Pele’s place as one of the greatest footballers of all time. The legendary Brazil squad consisting of himself, Rivellino, Carlos Alberto and Tostao completely annihilated opponents with their “Joga bonito” style of play with Pele leading from the front.
In the final, Pele put in another superlative performance as he grabbed a goal and two superb assists. Pele was awarded the Golden Ball award for being the best player in the 1970 World Cup. The Brazilian legend also has the record for being the only player to have scored in two different finals.
With three World Cups, and countless club titles with his club side Santos, Pele is the greatest big match footballer of all time.
