Post by Lollipop on May 20, 2006 14:09:14 GMT -1
Pele gives his seal of approval to United
Brazilian legend in United colours
By Paul Robinson
IT was the ultimate seal of sporting approval for Leeds United's bid to return to the Premiership.
Pele, the footballing genius widely acknowledged as the greatest player in the history of the beautiful game, paid his first ever visit to Leeds yesterday.
And he took time out from his hectic schedule to don a United scarf as a good luck gesture to the Whites ahead of their date with destiny at the Millennium Stadium.
The Brazilian legend even showed that he knows a thing or two about one of English soccer's fiercest rivalries by joking that the pictures would "get me in trouble in Manchester".
Three-time World Cup winner Pele was in Leeds to sign copies of his new autobiography at the headquarters of supermarket chain Asda, on Great Wilson Street on the outskirts of the city centre.
Looking far younger than his 65 years, he was given a rapturous reception by the packed crowd at the staff-only event before taking to the mic and answering questions on his favourite subject – football.
He revealed that he thought his fellow countryman Ronaldhino was currently the best player in the world, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, tipped Brazil to lift the World Cup this summer.
Pele also mischievously appealed to TV bosses to stop showing the wonder save by Gordon Banks that denied him a goal against England in Mexico way back in 1970.
He then happily signed a giant cardboard cut-out of Wayne Rooney's broken foot, produced by Asda in the hope that some of that old Samba magic would boost the young striker's battle to be fit for next month's big kick-off in Germany.
The South American said: "England for the last five or six years have had a very good team. I am sorry you have lost Rooney but I think it will be a very good World Cup."
Brazilian legend in United colours
By Paul Robinson
IT was the ultimate seal of sporting approval for Leeds United's bid to return to the Premiership.
Pele, the footballing genius widely acknowledged as the greatest player in the history of the beautiful game, paid his first ever visit to Leeds yesterday.
And he took time out from his hectic schedule to don a United scarf as a good luck gesture to the Whites ahead of their date with destiny at the Millennium Stadium.
The Brazilian legend even showed that he knows a thing or two about one of English soccer's fiercest rivalries by joking that the pictures would "get me in trouble in Manchester".
Three-time World Cup winner Pele was in Leeds to sign copies of his new autobiography at the headquarters of supermarket chain Asda, on Great Wilson Street on the outskirts of the city centre.
Looking far younger than his 65 years, he was given a rapturous reception by the packed crowd at the staff-only event before taking to the mic and answering questions on his favourite subject – football.
He revealed that he thought his fellow countryman Ronaldhino was currently the best player in the world, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, tipped Brazil to lift the World Cup this summer.
Pele also mischievously appealed to TV bosses to stop showing the wonder save by Gordon Banks that denied him a goal against England in Mexico way back in 1970.
He then happily signed a giant cardboard cut-out of Wayne Rooney's broken foot, produced by Asda in the hope that some of that old Samba magic would boost the young striker's battle to be fit for next month's big kick-off in Germany.
The South American said: "England for the last five or six years have had a very good team. I am sorry you have lost Rooney but I think it will be a very good World Cup."
