The Undying Legacy of Pelé: The King Who Made Football Beautiful

Defining greatness in mere words is a complex task, daunting even for the most eloquent writers, let alone for those of us who write from passion rather than profession. To pay tribute to an all-time great is to capture not just accomplishments but the essence of an icon whose influence permeates beyond the field. When the subject is Pelé—one of the most revered figures in sports history—the challenge intensifies. News of his passing is still fresh; emotions surge and fingers hesitate to do justice to his memory as if words themselves might somehow lessen the depth of his impact. 

Football existed long before Pelé arrived. It was celebrated globally, cherished across countries, and held a unique place in the cultural fabric of nations. Yet, when a 17-year-old boy from São Paulo stepped onto the world’s grandest stage at the 1958 World Cup, the game transformed. Football, a sport already loved by millions, was reimagined and redefined. That young Pelé brought more than skill; he infused the game with Brazilian soul—the uncontainable rhythm of samba, the carefree joy of carnival, and the exuberance of the beaches. 

Pelé did not just play football; he painted on the pitch. With every touch, every run, he translated the beauty of his culture into movement. Football became a celebration, a festival where skill and passion fused into something beautiful. His game was vibrant yet precise, joyful yet deeply tactical. He was Joga Bonito personified—a living embodiment of “playing beautifully.” While others followed set plays and learned techniques, Pelé created from instinct, improvising in ways that only the very best could imagine.

Blessed with an athleticism that bordered on the divine, Pelé could outrun defenders, shoot powerfully with either foot and leap above even the tallest players, defying gravity and expectation alike. His physical prowess was matched by a rare mental sharpness, a tactical intelligence that made him one of the most complete players of his time. He ran 100 meters in 11 seconds, was lethal with both feet and had the kind of agility and strength that made his every move a threat.

Pelé’s genius lay not just in his goal-scoring; he was a playmaker with an unparalleled vision for the game. He could sense pockets of space others couldn’t see, slipping the ball into places that left defenders stranded and goalkeepers helpless. His awareness, and his ability to think ahead of the game, made him a constant menace to opposing teams. He orchestrated attacks from deep positions, pulling the strings with subtle passes and sudden runs, seamlessly shifting between roles as finisher and creator. 

Pele's dribbling was a display of artistry. He would leave defenders dizzy with his sudden feints, like his famed "dribble da vaca", or the unexpected "paradinha"—a little stop that sent his opponents the wrong way. He was a showman but always humble, a competitor but perpetually good-natured. His innovation was his own secret language, a way of expressing himself that changed the game permanently. Football, through Pelé, became an art form.

Beyond the technical, Pelé’s presence was magnetic. Off the field, he was known for his warmth, humility, and ever-present smile. He had no temper or pretence, and in him, fans and teammates alike found a person as admirable as the player they watched. His personality elevated his legacy, making him a star and a global ambassador for sport, culture, and connection.

After the heartache of Brazil’s “Maracanazo” in 1950—a national trauma that lingered in the collective psyche—Pelé became the beacon of redemption. In 1958, he led a Brazilian team that would go on to dominate the world, finally giving his country the glory it had longed for. Pele set the tone for Brazil’s ascent to football royalty, showing generations how to blend skill with creativity and make football something universally beautiful and uniquely their own.

Pelé wasn’t just a great player; he was a decisive one. His influence shaped the course of Brazil’s success story, and his legacy endures today, still inspiring millions. He changed not only the way the game was played but also how it was felt. Through him, football transcended tradition and expectation. Pelé did not just change football; he elevated it into something that could reach everyone—a global language of joy, freedom, and unity.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Qatar deliver an outstanding FIFA World Cup, but the victory of Argentina remains dubious

First of all, let me congratulate Qatar for staging one of the finest FIFA World Cups in history. Despite all the pre-tournament negative propaganda — Qatar has answered the world about how a successful tournament could be arranged and how to fight against the mass negativity with action rather than words.

The Argentina unit of Lionel Messi won the tournament in a thrilling final that would easily go down as the greatest final in the history of the 92-year-old event — but in the end, the success of Messi and his boys remains dubious for me and that is the only chink in the armor of Qatar’s gift to the world this year.

I wouldn’t deny that I am a die-hard Brazil fan and like Cristiano Ronaldo a lot. And, for which, my opinion may not be accepted by the Argentinean fan base — but that hardly matters because I would give my opinion based on logic — obviously, bitter truths are always hard to digest, and thus, whether agree or not, the victory of Argentina in Qatar was very fishy.

 Let me show you.

 

Argentina started the tournament with a shocker against Saudi Arabia, but before digesting two goals, the first penalty they received raised immediate questions among the neutrals.

Take a close look at the image above where it can clearly be seen that Paredes pushed the Saudi Arabian player and they both fell afterward. So why did the referee award the penalty?

 Parades pulled the Saudi player towards him and fell down to make it look like a penalty.

 It’s a normal collision that happens many times in a game, and it didn’t affect the play.

 Well, Argentina were awarded a penalty, and Messi scored.

 Thankfully, Saudi Arabia responded bravely, and perhaps, the plan of the hierarchy took the telling blow — for which, they decided that no such accidents happen in the future.

 The next match of Argentina was against Mexico — who are like Nigeria for the Alibiceleste — no matter where in the world, Argentina would meet them, Mexico would lose for sure, and in the World Cup — they have never beaten Argentina.

 The game was heading towards a stalemate until the referee interfered again.

 

Let’s take a look at Messi’s deadlock-breaker — one can clearly notice that the referee used all his might to dodge the ball coming at full speed on him just so Messi could have a clear shot at goal.

 The photo above indicates Julian Alvarez was blocking Ochoa’s view after the referee let Messi take the shot. Alvarez was on Ochoa’s face, blocking his entire field of view and he had to guess where Messi was going to shoot. Alvarez was offside as well and no free-kick was given. Ochoa did not complain because it was obvious that the referee was against them and favoring Argentina now. The fans were just blind to see it then.

In the match against Poland, where Argentina had to win, they were awarded a penalty and how logical was that decision remains a moot question.

Messi already headed the ball and it went out for a goal kick.

Szczęsny barely touched Messi’s face after he headed the ball.

Not a foul, and didn’t affect the play at all.

Because of his open goal miss, the referee had to do something to give Argentina momentum.

 So the referee awarded the penalty because Szczesny’s hand had by mistake touched Messi. The referee spotted the perfect opportunity to give Argentina the lead, but Messi missed it.

Argentinean went on to win the match courtesy of a strange display by Poland, whose lack of movement with or without the ball created doubts throughout the match.

 

In the first quarterfinal of the tournament, Brazil went out against Croatia courtesy of a tie-breaker and the interference of the referee who denied Brazil a clear-cut penalty, and then there were several fouls committed by the Croatian players that were never noticed by the referee.

Neymar gave Brazil the lead, but a lackluster defending by Marquinhos that led to the last-minute equalizer and missing the penalty by the same player — ensured Croatia another semifinal berth.

 

Don’t forget — Marquinhos plays for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and is a low-profile customer in comparison to Neymar, whose mistakes would be criticized but not come under the scanner.

With the most dangerous team of the tournament making a sad exit from the tournament — it was time for the hierarchy to give their everything to pull the collar of Argentina and ensure a spot in the semifinal.

 

The opponent of Messi and co in the quarterfinal was Holland, who was a hard nut to crack.

As usual, the match started with a penalty for Argentina. 

Check out the first penalty given on Acuna by rewatching the match.

 

We can clearly see he couldn’t even give a fake shot and dived inside the box with minor contact. Too soft to be a penalty, but the referee awarded a penalty.

You may think this is only a penalty right, but as always, it was the referee’s trick to give the entire momentum to Argentina, who grabbed with both hands.

 

But they nearly choked as the Dutch equalized like Tigers and all Argentina needed was to take the game to the penalty shootouts keeping in mind, that Holland are genuine choker in these shootouts and it worked in their favor.

Again, during regulation time — Messi intentionally handed the ball but went unnoticed — he should have been shown a red card.

Before this, he handed the ball as well but no action was taken, but in this tournament, Messi was meant to be supported wholeheartedly.

 

Then there was a forceful shoot at the opponent’s dugout — sadly, no action was taken.

Later on, Frenkie de Jong said, “Messi takes the ball with his hand and the referee just lets it go. He was really scandalous.”

In the semifinal, Croatia wished to dish out their fighting spirit against Argentina, but very quickly they realized that the story was different — no matter how much they decided to fight, all their efforts would be in vain.

Again, the referee gifted Argentina the momentum.

Alvarez clearly missed his shot really badly and then tried to make contact and dive so that he could at least get the penalty. He executed it perfectly.

Luka Modric, later on, said, “I want to congratulate Argentina, I don’t want to take credit away from them. They deserve to be in the final. But that first penalty wasn’t a penalty and it destroyed us.”

 “There’s no way that’s a penalty,” said Gary Neville at the TV show. “They didn’t even check the VAR. I’ve no idea why. It’s not a penalty,” said Ian Wright and Roy Keane said, “I agree with the lads, that’s not a penalty for me.”

 “The goalkeeper’s feet are always on the floor, he never tripped him. The contact is inevitable. Not a penalty, “said former referee of FIFA Felipe Ramos Rizo, and Iker Casillas said, “Totally Agree with Felipe.”

So, according to the plan — the Argentinian advanced to the final and met the best team of the tournament — defending champions France, who, despite all the setbacks due to injury performed outstandingly and deserved to win the tournament for the second consecutive time.

But……yet again, robbery under the floodlights took place.

Yet again, and yes — yet again, Argentina were awarded a penalty and the decision raised eyebrows.

Angel Di Maria kicked himself and fell down? A tackle from behind? Where was the physical contact? — how on earth could this be a penalty?

 

But the referee awarded a penalty and Argentina received the momentum.

 Now, moving on to disprove claims “If it was rigged for Argentina, why did France get two penalties?”

 The two penalties France got were 100% clear-cut.

The referee could never have ignored them.

 Rewatch the match and judge by yourself.

Counter argument:

“But that 2nd penalty for France should have been a free kick to Argentina because the French player handballed it before Mbappe got the ball!”

 Totally wrong!

 He headed it backward to Mbappe. No handball.

 When Messi scored the third goal for Argentina, it should have been disallowed as the substitutes of Argentina entered the field.

FIFA’S OFFICIAL RULES ON PEOPLE ON THE PITCH

 Here’s the official FIFA rulebook:

 If, after a goal is scored, the referee realizes, before play restarts, that there was an extra person on the field of play when the goal was scored:

 The referee must disallow the goal if:

 

1. The extra person was an outside agent and he interfered with the play.

2. The extra person was a player, substitute, substituted player, or team official associated with the team that scored the goal.

 

The referee must allow the goal if:

1. The extra person was an outside agent who did not interfere with the play.

2. The extra person was a player, substitute, substituted player, or team official associated with the team that conceded the goal.

Referee Szymon Marciniak and the officials deliberately ignored the incident and so the goal stood.

In theory, France could have filed a complaint but it would almost certainly not change the outcome of the match.

The match went to penalties and Argentia are immortals in shootouts — Martinez exhibited hypnotic antics that were racial but none would point a finger as they all are biased towards Messi.

Argentina won another World Cup under controversial circumstances.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

 

 

The Selecao Are Out: Brazil's World Cup Dreams Shattered by Croatia's Resilience

Brazil’s aspirations for a sixth World Cup trophy crumbled in Doha, where the pitch was drenched not by rain, but by the tears of Neymar and his teammates. The heavy favourites, once buoyed by dreams of glory, found themselves undone by Croatia in a quarter-final that revealed more than just the limits of talent—it exposed the complexities of hope, leadership, and the collective weight of expectation.

In the education city of the tournament, Marquinhos, the dependable centre-back, stood at the penalty spot, his gaze fixed on the ball as the memories of his shot ricocheted off the post. That moment was a mirror to the haunting echoes of his past in Paris, particularly the infamous "Remontada" defeat in 2017. Football's cruelty is its ability to attach the weight of a nation's hopes to the shoulders of individuals, and in that instant, Marquinhos became the face of Brazil’s heartbreak.

Tactical Missteps

There is no shortage of speculation about tactical missteps, but the decision to have Marquinhos take the fourth penalty—before Neymar—was not simply a matter of poor strategy. Coach Tite’s justification was rooted in the psychology of pressure: the fifth penalty, he argued, would carry the highest emotional cost. It was logical, yet the symbolism was unyielding. Neymar, the star whose name had echoed through the Brazilian locker room for years, would be left with the burden of the final shot.

At 30, Neymar remains unsure if his World Cup dream has truly ended. His words before the tournament spoke to the fragile nature of ambition: “I don’t know if I’ll have the mental strength to continue in football.” Those words now feel prescient, yet in the 105th minute, Neymar’s artistry came to life. A sublime strike to break the deadlock—a goal that not only delivered his 77th international goal but also equaled the legendary Pelé’s record—should have been the turning point. Yet it was only the beginning of a tragic tale of missed opportunity and mounting tension.

The Composure of Croatia

Brazil, at this point, seemed poised for victory. Croatia, on the other hand, demonstrated a different kind of strength—one that transcended individual brilliance. Modric and his teammates showed not only tactical discipline but also resilience that would define the match. Despite spending almost the entire game in defensive mode, the Croatians’ resolve never faltered. When Bruno Petkovic—often mocked for his ungainly style—found himself at the right place at the right time, capitalizing on Brazil's defensive lapse, the balance of the game shifted. Petkovic’s strike ricocheted off Marquinhos, and Alisson was powerless to stop the equalizer. Croatia had made their one shot-on-target count, and Brazil’s failure to protect their lead had come home to roost.

The dynamics of this match were stark: Brazil’s attacking brilliance was stymied by Croatia’s unshakable resolve. In the first half, Livakovic, Croatia’s goalkeeper, had already made several world-class saves, but it was in the penalty shootout that his true heroism unfolded. The Brazilian team, brimming with talent, could not overcome the psychological hurdle of having Neymar shoulder the burden alone. As Rodrygo’s penalty was saved, the momentum was fully with Croatia, and the cold inevitability of a penalty shootout victory loomed.

Brazil’s Fragile Temperament

Brazil’s inability to close out the game, to protect even a slender one-goal lead, spoke volumes. The anxiety in their play was palpable. They were unsure how to preserve their advantage, seeking to stall but lacking a coherent strategy to control the tempo. Croatia, on the other hand, showed a deeper understanding of how to manage the emotional tides of a high-stakes match, trusting in their collective spirit.

This wasn’t the first time Brazil had failed at this stage. The pattern of brilliance undone by some underlying vulnerability persisted, most notably in the 2018 World Cup when they were knocked out by Belgium despite dominating possession. Or in 2014, when Neymar’s absence contributed to Brazil’s humiliating 7-1 defeat to Germany. These failures, while varying in circumstances, share a common thread: the pressure of expectation, the burden of carrying a nation’s dreams, and a tendency to allow the play to revolve too heavily around Neymar.

The Burden of Neymar

Neymar’s individual brilliance was evident throughout this tournament, but as Brazil sought to ride on his genius, they too often forgot that football is a collective game. In their pursuit of a sixth World Cup, Brazil leaned on Neymar in a way that exposed the team’s collective fragility. His goal, the symbol of a player transcending his country's footballing heritage, was meant to be a glorious affirmation of talent. Yet it became a cruel metaphor for a team in crisis, too reliant on one man to carry the weight of history.

As the penalty shootout approached, Brazil’s lack of tactical cohesion—evident in their inability to close the game—became more apparent. Croatia, the perennial underdog, exhibited an innate understanding of how to thrive under pressure. Modric, in his 37th year, exemplified the heart of the Croatian effort: a player who embodies courage and resilience, qualities that propelled a nation half the size of Brazil to one more step toward greatness.

For Neymar, the next World Cup may offer one final chance at redemption. But as Brazil’s reliance on their star grows, so too does the risk of perpetuating the same cycle of hope and disappointment. It is premature to declare Neymar’s World Cup dreams over, but the story of this tournament reveals an uncomfortable truth: Brazil may have spent too long searching for a hero when the game demands a more balanced and resolute collective effort. The burden of failure will fall on Neymar, as it always does with stars of his magnitude—but perhaps the real question lies in whether Brazil can evolve beyond this dependency.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar