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The last Brazil national team shirt prepared for football legend Pele ahead of his final game for his country is set for auction. Pele, nicknamed the King, donned his boots for his farewell international match 52 years ago on July 18, 1971. Brazil faced Yugoslavia in Rio de Janeiro. It was a momentous day for him and for millions of football fans worldwide. A packed crowd chanted Pele’s name and banks of sports photographers mobbed him on the pitch, jolting each other in a desperate bid to capture the moment his stellar national football career came to an end. Pele played 92 games and scored 77 goals for Brazil. He is their joint top goal-scorer. The match ended in a 2-2 draw but the result was overshadowed by its significance and an immense outpouring of love for the footballing genius. Brazilians celebrated their three time World Cup winning hero and said thank you. But Pele had a special thank-you in mind too. Two shirts were prepared for him for that final game - one long sleeve, the other short sleeve. He choose to wear the latter but had a plan for the other one. After the match he gifted his spare number 10 shirt to Brazil team masseur Abilio Jose de Silva, nicknamed Nocaute Jack (Knockout Jack). He was an integral part of the national squad’s operation from the late 1960s through to 1994 - and Pele wanted to show his gratitude. Now that unworn, match-prepared long sleeve Brazil number 10 shirt, complete with letter of authenticity from Nocaute Jack’s daughter Silvia Maria Fonseca da Silva, will be offered by Hansons Auctioneers on 15 February 2023, estimate £20,000-£30,000. Its owner, a 33-year-old restaurant manager from Shropshire, was prompted to consider parting with it after witnessing the phenomenal outpouring of love for Pele following his death at the age of 82 on December 29, 2022. He hopes it may go to a football museum for fans to see and enjoy. Brazilian striker Pele was labelled ‘the greatest’ footballer by FIFA. In 1999 he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and he was included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pele was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, including friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record. He began playing for Santos at 15 and the Brazil national team at 16. During his international career, he won three FIFA World Cups in 1958, 1962 and 1970, the only player to do so. He was nicknamed O Rei (The King) following the 1958 tournament. -PICTURED: Pele's Final Brazil Shirt Set For Auction -LOCATION: Shropshire UK -DATE: 22 Jan 2023 -CREDIT: Mark Laban/Hansons/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com,Image: 751174520, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Pele's Final Brazil Shirt Set For Auction

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