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Jonathan White

It is fair to say the passport of Edson Arantes do Nascimento has a lot of stamps, maybe as many as the goals he scored during his career.
The man the world knows better as Pele was part of a Santos team that travelled the world from the late 1950s until the early 1970s, a time that coincided nicely with the Brazilian’s career at the club – and the three Fifa World Cup wins for his country.
Those Santos tours took in destinations far and wide. “We were in demand,” wrote Pele in his autobiography. “The suits were very keen to cash in.”
Cash in they did and while the club’s directors (and their friends) filled their pockets, Pele filled his boots, with the tour games helping him to a claimed goals total of 1,281 across 1,363 games.

Three of those goals came on a rainy, humid June 4 afternoon at Hong Kong Stadium in 1972 where Pele’s Santos took on English First Division side Newcastle United.
The Magpies had the better of the first half before Pele turned things around with a 15-minute hat-trick in the second half.

#OnThisDay in 1972, #NUFC came up against @Pele in a friendly against @SantosFC in Hong Kong. ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/9DV6lRiW39
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) June 4, 2016

“Our end-of-season trip took us to the Far East – places like Tehran, Bangkok and, finally, Hong Kong,” Newcastle full back Frank Clark told Newcastle newspaper The Chronicle in 2014.
“We were 2-1 up at half-time with goals from John Tudor and a 30-yard screamer from Tony Green. We were the better team before the break, but it was a different matter after half-time.

“Pele suddenly decided to turn it on. He scored three fantastic goals in about 15 minutes,” said Clark, who would later win the European Cup at Nottingham Forest.
“Not only was Pele skilful, he was as hard as nails – and so powerful. After 65 minutes, he went off – and that was it. We lost 4-2 but it was a great experience being on the same pitch as the world’s best player. I’ve got a photo of me tackling Pele hanging on my wall.”
Tudor told The Chronicle much the same. “I remember Tony Green’s 30-yard wonder goal, it was all Newcastle in the first half and Pele had done nowt.

“Then for 15 minutes we were in the presence of greatness. Pele’s skill, close control and acceleration were just incredible. He was like a flash of lightning. He scored three goals. Job done and he was off. What a footballer.”
Green, who threatened to overshadow the World Cup winner, shared his own memories of Pele and the Hong Kong crowd.
“There was no applause for Newcastle. Everybody had come to see Pele. He was superb, terrific. I’d played against players like Denis Law, George Best and Bobby Charlton, but Pele was a different class.”

Pele’s autobiography shows that he played goalless games in wins against South China and Syu Fong in late May before starring against Newcastle.
Pele then hit another hat-trick in a 4-0 win over against Caroline Hill three days later. In between Syu Fong and Newcastle was a trip to Seoul to play the South Korean national side before returning to Hong Kong.
These were not his first goals in Hong Kong. Pele played four games in a week against Hong Kong and a league XI in December 1970, scoring eight times in the four wins.

Pele’s arrival with Santos had an inadvertent boost on the local Hong Kong game. The promise of playing Pele in those games attracted Scottish footballer Derek Currie to Hong Kong, a man who had more affect on the city’s footballing scene than most, first as a player during the league’s glory days and later as organiser of the Carlsberg Cup, which would become a mainstay of the scene.
That first Santos trip came months after Pele had lifted the World Cup for a third time with a team considered to be the best in history and he was at the height of his fame.
However, he made headlines for refusing to stay apart from his teammates. “The glamour boy of Brazilian soccer last night refused to sleep in the luxurious President’s Suite at the Hongkong Hilton,” ran a Post article on December 10. “I want no special treatment,” the legend reportedly said.

A possible Super 8 rarity enters the collection today - is this amateur footage of @NUFC playing @thepeoplesteam in Hong Kong? @Pele hit a three minute hat-trick and Santos won 4-2 pic.twitter.com/G0i4ax17h8
— Andrew T. Smith (@IllegibleMe) March 7, 2019

The team left on December 18 but promised they would return, with their manager telling the Post: “We’ll be back if not during the next 12 months – certainly before Pele retires.”
Pele would return to Hong Kong with Santos in 1972 and then to coach local footballers in 1974. The closest he came to playing again was when he took the New York Cosmos to the mainland in 1977 to play the Chinese national team in friendlies in Beijing and Shanghai.
Pele was retired for two years by the time the Cosmos beat South China 6-0 in 1979.

He returned several more times and made his mark in each of them. Hong Kong international Dale Tempest recalled that Pele signed his debut shirt.
“To get that win in that first game as well, that was great,” Tempest said. “What made it more special was Pele, who was in town at the time, signed my jersey when he visited our training session at the Hong Kong Sports Institute.”
Pele returned again in 2011, this time with the reformed New York Cosmos on what would be his last visit.


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Hong Kong Premier League

When Pele scored a hat-trick against Newcastle United in Hong Kong – and football hit heady heights

Pele celebrates after scoring his third goal against Newcastle United at Hong Kong Stadium on June 4, 1972. Photo: SCMP

Santos soccer team player Pele (C in white jersey) in action during an exhibition game against Newcastle at the Hong Kong Stadium. 04JUN72

Santos soccer team player Pele (C in white jersey) shoots a freekick during an exhibition game against Newcastle at the Hong Kong Stadium. 04JUN72

Santos soccer team player Pele celebrates during an exhibition game against Newcastle at the Hong Kong Stadium. 04JUN72

Soccer megastar Pele (C in white shirt) of Brazilian team Santos entering the pitch before the match against the Hong Kong League XI at the Hong Kong Stadium. 13DEC70

Santos soccer team player Pele (C in white jersey) shoots the ball during an exhibition game against Newcastle at the Hong Kong Stadium. 04JUN72

Brazil's soccer king Pele (centre) attending a press conference upon his arrival in Hong Kong. He has come for a series of coaching programmes for Hong Kong's young soccer players.

Hong Kong vs China: ‘May 19 Incident’ that ended the World Cup dreams of ‘Big Brother’

Forward Wan Chi-keung celebrates with his Hong Kong teammates after the famous 2-1 win over China in Beijing on May 19, 1985. Photos: SCMP

Lin Lofeng (left) and Leung Shui-wing, captains of China and Hong Kong, respectively, exchange flags before the crucial World Cup qualifier at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing. Hong Kong won 2-1. 19 May 1985

Supporters of the Hong Kong soccer team shouting slogans during the crucial World Cup qualifier against China at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing. Hong Kong won 2-1. 19 May 1985

Coach Kwok Ka-ming (sitting with dark track suit) is pictured with members of the Hong Kong soccer team who are preparing for the crucial World Cup qualifier against China in Beijing. 19 May 1985

Team Hong Kong's players before the kick-off of China vs Hong Kong, World Cup qualifier at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing. 19 May 1985

Hong Kong soccer team members celebrate after the crucial World Cup qualifier against China at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing. Hong Kong unexpectedly won 2-1. 19 May 1985

China vs Hong Kong, World Cup qualifier at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing. 19 May 1985

When football legend Pele took Hong Kong by storm and refused to stay in the Hilton’s penthouse suite

Pele (in white), of the Brazilian football team Santos, in action against the Hong Kong League XI at the Hong Kong Stadium, on December 13, 1970. Photo: SCMP

World famous Brazilian soccer player Pele signing autograph for his fans after arriving at Hong Kong. 09DEC70

Dale Tempest’s Hong Kong jersey evokes tales of Pele, goals, jury duty and media celebrity over an incredible seven-year journey

Dale Tempest after scoring for Eastern in 1993 (left) and with his Hong Kong jersey from 1997 on a recent Twitter posting. Photos: SCMP/Twitter

SOCCER: Dale Tempest is welcomed by fans after the Hong Kong team received the first runner-up medal at the Carlsberg Cup at Hong Kong Stadium. 31 January 1998

HK V THAILAND SOCCER MATCH, HK SOOCER TEAM'S LEE KIN-WO JUBILATES AFTER SCORING A GOAL IN THE MATCH AT HK STADIUM. 30 march 1997

Captain Dale Tempest recevied the Marlboro Cup. 07 February 1992

DALE TEMPEST WATCHING SOUTH CHINA VS TEIPEI FRIENDLY MATCH, SHA TIN. 13 MARCH 1997

Charlie Charters (left), Spencer Robinson (right) and local soccer star Dale Tempest (second left) chatting with a guest at a World Cup '94 programme of Asia Television (ATV).

Dale Tempest working as a pundit for Skybet. Photo: Handout

Lee Wai-tong: ‘King of Asian Football’ mentioned with Pele and Ferenc Puskas

The South China Athletic Association pictured in 1948, the year when Lee Wai-tong hung up his boots. Photo: Handout

Field of Dreams HK Repertory Theatre's musical (pic) inspired by the story of eight Hong Kong footballers who represented China at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. HK Repertory Theatre **This photo was licensed for one time use only. PLEASE CLEAR THE COPYRIGHTS WITH THE OWNER BEFORE REPUBLISHING THIS IMAGE.***

(Eingeschränkte Rechte für bestimmte redaktionelle Kunden in Deutschland. Limited rights for specific editorial clients in Germany.) Football, preliminary competition England-China, 2:0; the English goalkeeper defends with the fist Vintage property of ullstein bild (Photo by Sportbild Schirner/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

Interview with Vincent Heywood who has researched the history of eight football players from Tai Hang who went to the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Heywood shows off the China's Olympic logo in 1936. 20 June 2007

CHINA - AUGUST 29: The chinese soccer team before the departure. London, England. Photograph. August 29th 1936. (Photo by Imagno/Getty Images)

Sport

Hong Kong

Football


Several of the Brazilian’s 1,281 career goals came in Hong Kong on tour with club side Santos
His earlier trip to the city in 1970 had an inadvertent effect on the local game by attracting Derek Currie



Several of the Brazil legend’s 1,281 career goals came in Hong Kong on tour with club side Santos, while his trip to the city in 1970 had an inadvertent effect on the local game.


The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Lunar New Year Cup

English Premier League

Old Hong Kong

When Pele scored a hat-trick against Newcastle United in Hong Kong – and football hit heady heights

Several of the Brazilian’s 1,281 career goals came in Hong Kong on tour with club side Santos His earlier trip to the city in 1970 had an inadvertent effect on the local game by attracting Derek Currie

Several of the Brazilian’s 1,281 career goals came in Hong Kong on tour with club side Santos

His earlier trip to the city in 1970 had an inadvertent effect on the local game by attracting Derek Currie