No soccer player achieved more than Pele during his more than two decades on the pitch.
Whether it was his three World Cup championships, more than any other player, or the more than 1,000 goals he claimed to have scored, Pele was a one-of-a-kind legend in his native Brazil, the United States and on the international stage.
Pele died on Thursday in his native Brazil at the age of 82 following a battle with cancer.
Of all of Pele’s many accomplishments, one of the most fascinating was how he ended his 22-year professional career in 1977, playing for both teams in the same game.
The match, held Oct. 1, 1977, at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was a friendly between Brazilian side Santos FC, Pele’s first professional team, and the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League.
The game drew a sellout crowd of 73,699 to the Meadowlands and was aired on ABC’s “Wide World Of Sports.” Muhammad Ali was among the luminaries who attended.
Pele went out in style, playing the first half of the match for the Cosmos before switching uniforms and sides for the second half and playing for Santos FC. He tallied the final goal of his career, a beautiful free kick from 30 yards for the Cosmos.
You can see Pele’s final goal, as well as other highlights from the game, here:
