Kerala Blasters coach Peter Taylor on Monday revisited his only play against Brazilian legend Pele, who will witness their Indian Super League match against hosts Atletico de Kolkata here on Tuesday.
"I once had a chance of playing against him for 20 minutes. It was a proud moment for me. I could never get the ball off his feet. He was such a fantastic player. It is wonderful that he will be present at the stadium," Taylor said at the pre-match media conference.
The former England winger was speaking about a match in 1977 when Pele played for a "Rest of the World" side against Taylor's.
Taylor also said that his current team's Spanish marquee player Carlos Marchena is fit and is available for Tuesday's tie.
Blasters are dealing with several injury problems but it won't make them less formidable.
"I know they are missing some key players, even we have some injury problems. So it will be evens-stevens," Taylor said.
Atletico coach Antonio Lopez Habas also said it was fantastic that Pele will be watching the game.
"Pele coming here is fantastic, he is a global icon. Hope we can play impressive football in front of him," Habas said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
