NEW DELHI: The footballing legend Pele, broadly thought to be one of many biggest gamers of all time, introduced the football-crazy metropolis of Kolkata, typically referred to as the ‘Mecca of Indian soccer‘ to a standstill on September 24, 1977, precisely 47 years in the past on this present day.
It was a historic second when the Brazilian celebrity, then enjoying for New York Cosmos, visited India for a pleasant match towards Mohun Bagan, considered one of India’s oldest and most well-known soccer golf equipment.
Kolkata, a metropolis the place soccer is greater than only a sport, erupted in pleasure. The streets have been filled with followers, all wanting to catch a glimpse of Pele, the person who had already received three World Cups with Brazil and was identified globally for his extraordinary abilities.
For the folks of Kolkata, this was a once-in-a-lifetime alternative to witness the ‘King of Soccer’ in motion on Indian soil.
The match passed off on the Eden Gardens, a venue normally related to cricket however remodeled right into a soccer stadium for the event.
Over 80,000 spectators stuffed the stadium, and plenty of extra lined the streets, straining for an opportunity to see Pele, who was already within the twilight of his profession however nonetheless an enormous crowd-puller. The environment was electrical, with followers chanting Pele’s identify and waving banners in his honor.
Pele’s crew Cosmos 2 2 Mohun Bagan!! 24 Sept 1977 | A good time to recollect
The sport itself was an exhilarating contest. Mohun Bagan, led by Indian soccer icons like Shyam Thapa and Subrata Bhattacharya, managed to carry the star-studded New York Cosmos to a 2-2 draw. Although Pele didn’t rating, his mere presence on the sector mesmerized the group.
Pele’s go to left an indelible mark on Kolkata’s soccer historical past. It symbolized the town’s deep-rooted ardour for the game and stays a cherished reminiscence for Indian soccer followers, reminding them of the day the soccer god graced their beloved metropolis.
