Africa in Focus - The Life and Legacy of Pele, the GREATEST Footballer EVER!!

<p>This week&apos;s edition of Afrika in Focus is a special looking at the life and legacy of Pele.</p><p>We start by giving a backdrop into the conditions for African people in Brazil when Pele , real name Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born including a form of Apartheid that still exists in Brazil today making the quality of life for African people very difficult indeed.</p><p>We give a take on how Pele&apos;s natural genius and flair for football attracted the best team in Brazil Santos to sign him at the tender age of 15 years.</p><p>We explain how Pele&apos;s outrageous talent helped Santos become a dominant force in Brazilian football and how the Brazilian National Team became attracted to Pele.</p><p>We explain how Pele became an instant hit with The Brazil national team, when he scored his first goal for Brazil at the tender age of 16 in a friendly match.  Aside from this the Brazil national management soon realised that Pele was a gem.  This realisation made them include Pele in the 1958 Brazil world cup squad.</p><p>It was the 1958 World cup in Sweden that catapulted Pele into a global phenomenon.  Pele&apos;s brilliant performances as a mere 17 year old including a hat-trick in the semi final against France and a brace (two goals) in the final against the host nation ensured that Brazil went on to win their first EVER World Cup.</p><p>We discuss how Pele cemented his legendary status by helping Brazil win a second consecutive World Cup in 1962 and helping his club team Santos to world domination.  </p><p>In 1966 Pele&apos;s bid for a third successive World Cup ended in disappointment as he was literally kicked out of the World cup as a result of ferocious tackles on him (as it was the only way to stop him playing).</p><p>This bitter disappointment then made Pele to reflect on whether he wanted to continue to play football, given the harsh treatment he suffered at the 1966 World Cup.</p><p>We analyse perhaps Pele&apos;s greatest moment as a player, his third World Cup victory as part of the all conquer