Ed Dove, Special to ESPN 6y

World Cup moments - Pelé makes his mark

The 1958 World Cup belonged to Pelé, who broke onto the scene as a 17-year-old and inspired Brazil to their first title.

While the wonderkid would enjoy various unforgettable moments at the World Cup, there were perhaps none that left a greater mark than his sensational strike in the final as the tide turned against hosts Sweden.

The Blue-Yellow took the lead through the cultured Nils Liedholm, but Brazil recovered their composure and equalised through Vava. Peito de Aco then added a second after being played in by Garrincha before Brazil dominated the second half.

Pelé, who already had three goals in the tournament to this point, added a third to essentially kill the contest when he plucked the ball from the sky, juggled it over a defender, before volleying home past Kalle Svensson. It was a marvellous show of technical class, executed with the audacity that could only have been found in one so young.

The phenomenal starlet was to add a second when he headed home to make it 5-2 after Agne Simonsson had pulled one back, and a star had well and truly been born.

There was little doubt that the Selecao were worthy winners: beyond Pelé, Vava and Garrincha, midfield maestros Zito and Didi gave them a composure and control that none of their rivals could match.

But Pelé, already a genius despite his slender years, was the standout performer, despite his fragile frame and youthful features.

This was a triumph that would finally help Brazil get over their cataclysmic failure in front of their own fans in 1950, while Pelé would go onto win the World Cup on two further occasions - in 1962 and 1970.

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