Irish Examiner view:  Pelé's impact on the 'beautiful game' is unrivalled

At a time when there was no internet, no social media, and limited exposure to foreign television, the Brazilian star's fame spanned the four corners of the globe

Pelé was soccer's standard-bearer, a player whose grace, athleticism, and samba-like flair brought the game to a global audience. Picture: Gabriel Lopes/AFP

The debate over who was the greatest of all time will rage on — but no one will ever challenge Pelé’s impact on “the beautiful game”. For it was he who invented it.

He was its standard-bearer, a player whose grace, athleticism, and samba-like flair brought the game to a global audience. Who will ever forget the iconic images of Brazil’s number 10 leaping and punching the air in goal celebration?