‘Pele in New York was like when the Beatles came to America’: US fans thank Pele for getting them into football when he joined Cosmos in 1975 after the Brazilian icon and three-time world champion aged 82 had died
Football fans across the United States have paid tribute to Pele’s impact on the sport in America and recalled how he played after the Brazilian icon, who was at the New York Cosmos for two years in the 1970s, died at the age of 82 on Thursday was.
The legendary figure died of colon cancer on Thursday after being hospitalized on November 30. Pele is the only player to have won the World Cup three times with Brazil and is one of the most legendary players to ever play football.
He spent the last two years of his career playing for the New York Cosmos from 1975 to 1977 and a number of football fans across America paid tribute to Pele and his influence on American sport when news of his death broke.
“My Colombian dad loved Pele and that’s basically why I became a fan of the beautiful game,” one fan wrote on Twitter. “When Pele came to play for the New York Cosmos, it was like the Beatles came to America for a young me. I still remember watching him in awe on Wide World of Sports. Sad day.’
Pele played for the Cosmos from 1975 to 1977 and greatly increased the popularity of football in the United States
Pele is seen in action at Yankee Stadium for the Cosmos in the NASL circa 1976
One fan wrote: “Pele is known to have only played in two countries, Brazil and the United States of America.
“When Pele came to America later in his career, in the early ’70s, over 100,000 a game came to New York to see him play at the Cosmos. Pele is a fixture in US sports history.”
Another said, “Thanks to my friend António’s father, we were able to see Pelé play the Hartford Bicentennials at Dillon Stadium on May 16, 1976, a 3-0 loss to his NY Cosmos…RIP Legend.”
Another fan said: “Pele and the Cosmos brought football to America on a massive scale for the first time. He’s just as important to the story of our game as anyone else. REST IN PEACE.’
Another follower on Twitter wrote: “I saw Pele play IRL (in real life) when he was at Cosmos. He radiated pure enthusiasm. Iconic.’
Another sports fan compared Pele to another American sports great and said: “Absolutely devastated to learn of Pele’s death.
“RIP into an icon whose decision to play for the Cosmos was a moneymaker for Pelé and truly the force that propelled football to a larger fan base in the United States. Like what Wayne Gretzky did for the Kings for hockey.
Another tribute read: “When I was a teenager, while vacationing in Toronto, a friend of my uncle’s took me to watch the New York Cosmos play Toronto Blizzard. The No. 10 in his 40s was absolutely the boss of the game back then.
The Cosmos paid its own tribute to Pele in a statement on Thursday, saying: “The New York City Cosmos family, past and present, mourns the loss of sports icon Pele. The Brazilian legend died today at the age of 82.
“During three seasons at Cosmos, Pele helped transform the domestic landscape of football. Where baseball diamonds once stood were now soccer fields.
“Not only did The Cosmos and their King spark a sporting revolution in America, they have traveled the world spreading the gospel of the beautiful game, representing the world’s most global city at the global game and building an enduring sporting legacy in India , China, and Japan, where her visits remain a cherished part of local sporting history.
“His last game as a professional soccer player came on October 1, 1977 in front of a packed Giants Stadium and a worldwide television audience. Pele played one half each for the only two clubs he has ever represented, Santos and New York Cosmos.
“Pele’s name will forever be synonymous with athletic artistry and genius.”