Franz Beckenbauer, ‘Der Kaiser’ of World Soccer, Dies at 78 In West Germany, he revolutionized his central defense position and was one of only three people to win the World Cup as a player and a coach.
Days of Wins and Roses: Covering Pelé’s Cosmos While the public saw one version of the Brazilian soccer legend in his three years in New York, covering the team offered an up-close look at the man.
Pele’s Breakthrough Gave Soccer a Black Star Pelé’s reign atop the most popular sport on earth began in an era defined by political struggles against colonialism and racial inequity around the world.
Pelé, the Global Face of Soccer, Dies at 82 Pelé, who was declared a national treasure in his native Brazil, achieved worldwide celebrity and helped popularize the sport in the United States.