U.S. Soccer Owes Everything to Pele

Bobby Smith who was top defender in his younger days, gazes fondly at the giant poster of him and Pele

[{"selector":"#anim-1db0d57f-7bff-4234-8418-2696456334fb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-39.7018029320203%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-738446c2-0e8d-4da0-a127-d2c188e2c957","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4d52510c-d47c-4c87-932f-24f33b5f0160","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Smith an ardent fan of Pele. As a young boy, he said he "never thought for a second that we'd be on the same team"

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[{"selector":"#anim-c1bbbe7a-ef22-4892-9978-163f1ab4f813 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-17.62127185995017%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0e7fc51-5b1f-4b59-a601-3287a404c133","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-47a6dc79-1fa7-49b9-b683-46c0c066c19c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] U.S. footballer Bobby Smith does not hold back his tears when paying tribute to King Pele

[{"selector":"#anim-9ba6845d-06ac-4686-9c30-ab304b1d8558 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-43.74999965867719%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e390c30d-50da-49a0-8d2e-a8e22f863c61","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8e9d3a0-0852-4a4c-8f6f-90f483de0735","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The rise of the game in the United States owes almost everything to the Brazilian legend, says his former New Yorl Cosmos teammate