'The summit of world football': what Pele did for Brazil

FILE PHOTO: Brazilian soccer legend Pele poses for the media during the inauguration of a refurbished soccer field at the Mineira slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 10, 2014. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes

(Reuters) - Before Pele made his debut for Brazil, the South American nation had never won the World Cup. By the time he retired, they had won three - more than any other team.

Arguably Pele's greatest contribution to both soccer and Brazil was to transform his underachieving nation into a footballing superpower.