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Soccer News of Friday, 13 January 2023

Source: www.mynigeria.com

'They would have renamed football ‘Pele ball’' – Oliseh proclaims Brazilian legend as 'GOAT'

Oliseh hails Pele as the greatest of all time Oliseh hails Pele as the greatest of all time

Former Super Eagles defender and coach Sunday Oliseh has extolled the late Brazilian legend Pele as the greatest player of all time.

The 48-year-old in an interview with The PUNCH described Pele as an exceptional player whose height and achievement in world football are unmatched.

Despite acknowledging the talent and brilliance of some stars like Diego Maradona, Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo who have graced the modern game, the ex-Super Eagles fullback strongly believes that none of them have managed to attain half the level of Pele during his peak days.

Oliseh described the moments he shared together with the late legend as "out of this world".

"I met him again in Paris in 1998 and the few minutes we spent together were out of this world, Oliseh told The PUNCH in an exclusive interview.

"The reality is that no player ever attained his height. I know people have their favourite players. Some like Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, but if we won’t deceive ourselves, no player past or present was at his level, even half.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund defender noted that Pele was unfortunate to have been born a Brazilian, explaining that football would have been named after him if he was born British.

"The unfortunate thing to have happened to him was that he came to this world as a Brazilian. If he were to be British, they would have renamed football ‘Pele ball’ because he was too good.

"He is the greatest player of all time, the G.O.A.T. You cannot win three World Cups, and anybody will want to compete with you. This means he dominated world football at that time. I know people, especially the young ones, will not be happy with my choice, but those of us who are elderly can identify with him."

Pele was the world's most famous sportsman in the 1960s and 70s. He won three World Cups for Brazil.

He passed at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo on December 29, 2022, at age 82 after battling with cancer.

WDN