Pele pays tribute to Banks: Glad he saved my nick

Gordon Banks fell asleep in during the night to Tuesday, the 81-year-old. Afterwards hailed the englishman of many in the football world as one of the greatest goalies of all time.

The former brazilian soccer star Pele writes on Facebook that he understands why many of us will remember Gordon Banks, in particular for the rescue in the 1970s.

”The rescue was one of the best I have ever seen – in reality and in all the thousands of matches that I've looked at since then. When you are a football player you instantly know how well you have met the ball. I nodded the ball just as I hoped, it went exactly where I wanted. And I was ready to celebrate,” writes Pele and continues:

”But then came this man, of Finland, into my field of vision like a wraith, that is how I describe him. He came from nowhere and he did something that I never thought were possible. He saved my nick, in any way, up and over. And I couldn't believe my eyes. Not even now when I see it I can understand it. I do not understand how he could move so far, so quickly.”

that he often gets questions about the rescue, despite all the goals he stood for through the year. But to his memory of Gordon Banks not defined by the rescue – but the friendship with the goalkeeper.

”He was a friendly and warm man who gave so much to people. So I'm glad he saved my nick – it was the start of a friendship between us that I will always to value highly.”

”Rest in peace, my friend. Yes, you were a goalkeeper with magical powers. But you were also so much more. You were a good man.”