A former Director General, National Sports Commission, Dr. Patrick Ekeji, has described the world football legend, Pele, as one who conquered the game.
Dr. Ekeji told Wakawaka Sports Extra that the demise of the world’s greatest footballer will be greatly felt adding that he exemplified humility and was faultless.
The Incumbent Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration) to Imo Government declared that in century to come, the world will not see a player in the mould of Pele.
Ekeji noted that iconic players like Diego Maradona acknowledged him as the greatest whose skills were exceptionally good.
“I commiserate with the family of the great Pele. We take solace in the fact that at some point all of us will exit. Pele came, saw and conquered in the beautiful game using his own words to describe football in his memoirs he wrote “My Life And the Beautiful Game” Pele was a role model.
“From what we read in the papers, he was faultless as a human being and was humble. Despite all his glories he still remained very humble. He was a gem. I don’t think that the world would see another player in the mould of Pele in the next hundred years. He was a super personality in football.
“At 82 one would say he was old but those of us who love and respect him, he was a role model to someone like myself. I wish he did not die but as a human being at some stage it has come.
“The world would miss him. I don’t think there is any other player in the world that can compare with Pele. He was an all rounder. His skills were exceptional. His humility was exceptional. Pele adds smiles for everybody.
“He was one player that also respected the rules of the beautiful game. He was one player who tried to win fairly. There is no record anywhere that he scored a goal with the hand of God.
“Whether Maradona scored a goal with the hand of God. As long as the referee allowed it, it was a goal. That term has come into the lexicon of soccer a goal with the hand of God.
“A player like the iconic Maradona had a lot of respect for Pele. Again, Maradona recognised the fact that both of them don’t belong to the same class. Yet, Maradona was one of the world’s greatest. We will miss him. We wish him to rest in peace and wish his family the fortitude to bear the loss.”
