Pelé and Ireland: An infrequent but memorable visitor

FOOTBALLING ROYALTY: Brazilian football legend Pelé talks with former Ireland forward Robbie Keane at the Dubai Opera gardens prior to a friendly football game in Dubai in 2018. Pic: Karim Sahib/AFP via Getty Images

Pelé was an infrequent visitor to Ireland but when he did come, he always left quite the impression.

It is 50 years since the legendary Brazilian footballing great, who died on Thursday aged 82, played against a combined Bohemians/Drumcondra for Santos in Dalymount Park in 1962.

Pelé was 31 at the time and put in, by all accounts, a rather lacklustre performance.

Over 30,000 fans are reported to have attended the game which Santos won 3-2 but the great man failed to hit the net.

The Irish media were decidely unimpressed: “Pele fails to excite fans” (Cork Examiner); “Pele not great” (Irish Independent); “The Phibsboro Flop” (Sunday Independent) were just some of the headlines.

ALL SMILES: Then FAI CEO John Delaney with Pelé in 2009. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Another memorable visit was in November 2009, a mere eight days since Thierry Henry had handballed Ireland out of the World Cup play-off in Paris.

The great man was of course invited to sympathise with the locals in the national gnashing of teeth. He delivered, somewhat.

"The result wasn't fair, no doubt, but everybody can make a mistake. Even him (Henry)," said Pele.

"He did it accidentally. I don't think he thought he was going to handle the ball."

Much like everyone else outside Ireland, he dismissed the idea of a replaying the play-off as 'too complicated'.

Pelé's 2009 visit was organised by Derry author Don Mullan as part of the footballer's 'Goals For Life' venture to raise money for the Little Prince Hospital in Curitiba and the Crumlin facility.

The campaign looked for 40 Irish schools to raise €2,000. 40 years earlier, Pele had scored his 1,000th goal and dedicated it to the children of Brazil. In return, schools would receive a special medal created by the Brazilian mint to mark the anniversary of Pele's goalscoring achievement.

During his 2009 visit, Pelé rubbed shoulders with then FAI President John Delaney and spoke about his relationship with then Ireland manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, who had once man-marked Pelé for Italy in a friendly in 1963.

His close attentions led Pelé to adopting an unusual name for his tormentor.

“I used to tell Trapattoni, 'You look like my wife. Wherever I go, you go. Go and play differently," said Pele.

"He'd say, 'I have to mark you'. He was very difficult to play against. Very continental.

"I talked to the president (John Delaney) and he said, 'Trapattoni is here'. But I said, 'Then I won't go'. But we are good friends now."

Pelé also made an appearance on the Late Late Show with Pat Kenny in 2006, promoting his recently released autobiography.