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This is an archive article published on June 23, 2004

Head to Head: Pele vs Rooney

ORIGINS8226; Pele was born in poor district of Tres Coracoes8226; Rooney was born in working class Croxteth area of LiverpoolDEBUT8226; P...

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ORIGINS

8226; Pele was born in poor district of Tres Coracoes

8226; Rooney was born in working class Croxteth area of Liverpool

DEBUT

8226; Pele8217;s club debut for Santos at age 16, international debut at 17

8226; Rooney8217;s for Everton at 16, for England at 17

BUILD

8226; Both are short, muscular, tough, pacy

STYLE OF PLAY

8226; Pele did not just score goals, he made them and could tackle too

8226; Rooney has a tremendous burst of speed and is also immensely powerful for his youth

SPEED OF THOUGHT

8226; Pele8217;s shot from the halfway line against Czechoslovakia in the 1970 World Cup finals and his famous dummy against the Uruguay goalkeeper narrowly failed to produce goals but they live on for the sheer audaciousness of their execution

8226; England8217;s equaliser against Croatia was because of Rooney8217;s quick thinking. Getting the ball in a crowded penalty area, he worked out instantly how to make the best of the situation and set up Paul Scholes for his goal

STUNNING GOAL

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8226; Pele8217;s against Sweden in 1958 World Cup final: with his back to goal, he caught the ball on his thigh, hooked it over, swivelled and shot in

8226; Rooney8217;s against Croatia, a screamer from 30 yards out

 

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