SOCCER superstar Pele was left in shock after a competition winner at his private dinner in Scotland turned out to be one of his opponents in the sixties.
The Brazilian legend was left grinning from ear to ear after seventy one year old Mickey Walker presented him with a photo of them both playing a match in the 1960s at the bash in Glasgow's Crown Plaza.
Pele remarked: "He told me he used to play against me. I thought he was joking. He kicked me a few times."
Doncaster lad Mickey who now lives in Scotland part time did indeed used to play against Pele - twice as a striker with the Los Angeles Wolves North American soccer league.
He said: "I couldn't believe it. I just brought a picture of me with him and didn't expect to meet him like that. We played twice together - once in LA and the other in New York. The picture I have is when we played in Los Angeles at the Rose Bowl in 1968. The score was four two to Los Angeles and I got one, the third goal."
At the New York match we lost four two and Pele scored two and was magnificent.
I also played against Vava, Peles playing partner in Brazil in San Diego and in Los Angeles."
Mickey brought the photo with him on the off chance he might meet the veteran champ.
He said: "He's the worlds greatest player, better than Messi."
When Pele told me I'd kicked him I knew I wasn't the only one. It was the only way to stop him playing. I wasn't a dirty player but that's how you did things then. It was a tough era and he was one of the toughest."
These days the game has gone soft and you're not allowed to spoil the actual theatre. If Pele was playing today with non contact tackling he'd probably be able to score more goals than Messi and Ronaldo put together."
Pele spent a good few minutes catching up with Mickey and was as shocked as he after Mickey won a painting of him during a game of Heads and Tails. Mickey said: "He couldn't believe a player from his era was in the audience. He hasn't really changed physically and looks very good for his age. I'd like to think he remembered me too but you never know. I'm still shaking. He put a wonderful finale to my years as a coach manager ambassador and player of football and it's a privilege to meet him socially."
Extracts of this exclusive article appeared in The Sun
- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com
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