By Yaw Ampofo Jr
When Pelé’s daughter posted a photo of the Brazilian football legend from his hospital bed in São Paulo on Friday, December 23, 2022, with the caption “one more night together,” the world knew that nature and death are unforgiving.
Pelé, who was declared a national treasure in his native Brazil, achieved worldwide celebrity status and helped popularize football in the United States and across the globe, was announced dead at the age of 82. He had been battling cancer, along with kidney and heart problems.
The world mourned his passing, with tears shared and a minute of silence observed in the football community to honor this global icon.
But who is Pelé in the eyes of a Ghanaian?
In the late 1950s, with Pelé in their ranks, Santos realized they could make more money by touring the world. They took their squad on the road, and for the next decade, they played in every corner of the globe.
During his 82 years on Earth, Pelé visited several African countries, including Ghana, in 1969.
“A week before we played the game, we were told we were going to face Santos. The Brazilian club was on a training tour. At that time, I was a national team player and had just returned from Niger after a match. I came back ill, but after taking some tablets, I felt fine. I had read a lot about Pelé in the newspapers, so it felt great to play against him. I had to give my best to show the world that I had something to offer,” recalled Hearts of Oak legend Abeka Ankrah.
Pelé’s visit to Ghana was part of a larger initiative by the Nkrumah administration to expose Ghanaian football to best practices, teams, and players from Europe and South America.
When the match started, Accra Hearts of Oak played toward the Black Stars’ goal. Santos had a distinct style of play. “Santos liked to keep the ball,” Abeka Ankrah recalls.
On February 6, 1969, Accra Hearts of Oak drew 2-2 with Pelé-led Santos FC in an international friendly at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Abeka Ankrah opened the scoring for Hearts of Oak in the 27th minute. “A few minutes before the goal, I received the ball from our half, ran through the center, and shot. It was my trademark move, and it went into the net. It felt great. When I scored, the Santos goalkeeper even clapped in astonishment, and that made me even prouder,” Ankrah said.
Pelé responded by scoring for Santos to level the game before halftime.
“He was amazing—his positioning, his passing, his ability to cross the ball. He wasn’t one to overcomplicate things. Pelé showed us that it wasn’t necessary to dribble past 10 or 15 players to make an impact,” Abeka Ankrah described.
Not to be outdone, Amusa Gbadamoshie, better known as Ghana’s “Pelé,” regained Hearts’ lead in the second half.
“Amusa was an excellent player. He exchanged pennants with Pelé. While Pelé was demonstrating for Santos, Amusa was doing his part for Hearts of Oak. The fans were the true judges,” Ankrah noted.
But Santos’ left winger, Edu, who was a dribbling maestro, earned the Brazilian side a well-deserved draw with a stunning performance that left Hearts’ defense scrambling.
“It was a man-of-the-match-worthy performance,” the newspapers said.
Abeka Ankrah described Pelé as the greatest player he ever saw, noting that every time Pelé touched the ball, fans saw a maestro at work. “His shooting and heading were a menace. And on no occasion did he make a bad pass.”
“Pelé didn’t dribble often, but when he did, it was clear that he was an intelligent player. He passed a lot and moved quickly. He shot frequently,” Ankrah added.
Santos displayed incredible skill and superiority with every move they made, while Hearts compensated for their lack of finesse with hard, unorthodox football, always pushing the game forward. They succeeded in taking the lead on two occasions, and with a few decisions going their way, Hearts could have achieved a surprising victory—at least, that’s what the papers said.
Pelé and Santos’ influence on Ghana grew in the years that followed, with many players locally being called “Pelé” for their exceptional skills, especially those playing the number 10 position.
“Any player who performed well, especially as a number 10, was called ‘Pelé.’ Back then, if you played well, they would nickname you after Pelé. He was known for his excellent positioning, and that’s something we learned from him,” Ankrah explained.
Pelé’s records remain unbroken, and the long-standing debate about who is the Greatest of All Time will continue. However, in his era, it is undeniable that no one came close to his level of greatness.
Pelé will forever be remembered as one of the greatest players of his generation.
PICTURE CREDIT: Ghana Museum
