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Superb print celebrating the 39Save of the Century39 when Gordon Banks denied Pele at the 1970 World Cup, signed by England39s legendary goalkeeper. Gordon Banks was one of the finest players of his generation and to this day he remains one of the greatest ever goalkeepers the game of football has ever produced. He began a career that was to span three decades with his local colliery side in Sheffield and made his professional debut with Chesterfield in the 1950s. He went on to make over 300 appearances for Leicester City and also played more than 200 senior games with Stoke. Banks was England39s number one at the 1970 World Cup and although the side39s defence of their crown was ultimately unsuccessful, he reaffirmed his status as a goalkeeping legend with his famous save from Pele39s header in the group phase clash with the Brazilians in Mexico. Jairzinho delivered an inviting cross from the right wing which bypassed the English centre halves, Pele rose majestically in the air and Banks seemed destined to be beaten as he scampered despairingly across his goal in Guadalajara. Pele39s header was perfect firm and downwards but Banks somehow managed to tip the ball over the crossbar. Pele, and the crowd, were simply stunned. Banks played his final game for England in 1972 after 73 caps but his professional career was ended prematurely after he lost sight in his right eye following a car crash the same year. He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. When Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born in the Brazilian town of Tres Coracoes in October 1940, no one could have predicted the phenomenal impact he would go on to have on the beautiful game. Football would never be quite the same again. Pele as he became known at school remains the game39s greatest ever player more than 30 years after he finally hung up his famous boots and while rivals to his crown have come and gone, he is and will forever be the king of football. Signed at a young age by Santos, Pele burst onto the international stage as 17 year old at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, scoring twice in Brazil39s final triumph against the hosts. The first chapter in the Pele legend had already been written but there were many more iconic moments to follow. Injury denied him the chance to play in a second World Cup final in 1962 after scoring in the tournament opener against Mexico but he was back on the biggest stage of them all eight years later to lead Brazil to another famous victory. Many consider the 1970 Brazilian side the greatest team in the history of the game. Pele was the captain and heartbeat of the side and in the final he scored the first goal and set up two more as the South Americans crushed the Azzurri 4 1 in what is widely regarded as the best performance ever in a World Cup final. Brazil39s third World Cup triumph ensured they were to keep the famous Jules Rimet trophy indefinitely and Pele39s place in football folklore was assured. He finally retired from the game in 1977 after playing for New York Cosmos. He had played 92 times for his country, won three World Cups and scored over a thousand career goals. No one has ever come close to eclipsing him.
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