Happy birthday Pelé: do you remember that time in Busto?

The day of 23 October is special, for one of the sportsmen who, more than any, have left a mark on their sporting disciplines: on that day, in 1940, one of the most important footballers in history was born in Três Corações. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, otherwise known as Pelé, is the only player who has been able to win three FIFA World Cups, in the Brazilian national team.

He was a universal champion, wo is still recognised all over the world, who, in the past, spent an interesting afternoon in Varese Province, at the “Speroni” stadium in Busto Arsizio. The year was 1975, it was 12 April, when the extraterrestrial O’Rei landed on the Pro Patria pitch, thanks to the intervention of the then chairman of the “Tigrotti”, Peppino Mancini.

Pele’s famous overhead kick, which was also immortalised in the film “Victory” (photo by A. Carchen).

Pelé, who was on a promotional tour for Pepsi Cola, of which he was the testimonial, spent about two hours surrounded by the youth teams of Pro Patria, Solbiatese, Inter and Milan, and in front of thousands of fans and curious onlookers, who had rushed to the “Speroni” stadium to see a football prodigy in person, one who at the time was unanimously considered the best in the world. It was only with the advent of Maradona that this “title” was put in doubt (or rather, shared) by some of the fans and experts.

Today, VareseNews can offer you a series of entirely new and exclusive pictures of that memorable sports day. The photographs were taken by Alessandro Carchen, from Solbiate Olona, who remembers the Black Pearl’s afternoon in Busto as follows.

“The event had been organised as a kind of football practice lesson: Pelé suggested exercises, dribbling and game situations to the young footballers, who were allowed to participate. I went to the “Speroni” stadium with my Canon FTB because photography was a hobby of mine, and that was a popular camera at the time; I still have it. I sat down on the terraces, but at some point, I had the chance to go down onto the field: so I moved closer to Pelé and took those pictures that we’re publishing today.”

And that VareseNews is giving to all of its readers who are passionate about football, and about history.