Pelé set the standard for greatness in the land of his sport
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
From spearheading the “beautiful game” to helping Brazil win three World Cup titles, Pelé embodied greatness in the land of his sport. The incarnation of the country’s style and elegance on the field, Pelé began enchanting Brazilian fans as a teenager. He helped the Selecao lift the World Cup trophy for the first time in 1958, when he was only 17. He excelled for years and years — and by the time Pelé stopped playing in the late 1970s, he had become the standard against which every top Brazilian player has been measured.
