BRAZIL TO LOSE PELE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31113, 16 July 1966, Page 17

BRAZIL TO LOSE PELE

(N.Z.P A Reuler—Copyright) LONDON. Two of the world’s greatest soccer players—Pele (Brazil) and I. Nagy (Hungary)—were both ruled unfit to play in their countries’ vital match in the World Cup series today.

Pele has an injured knee and Nagy a badly swollen and twisted ankle. ) A doctor told the Brazil team manager that one more knock on Pete’s knee at this stage could mean the end of the player in this year’s championship. In 1962, when Brazil won the Jules Rimet Cup for the second successive time. Pele played only one match before he was injured. The Brazilians are determined not to risk the same possibility in the current series. Hungary, after its earlier defeat to Portugal, must beat Brazil to keep alive its hopes of reaching the quarter-finals. Worst Hit Of All Another facing elimination, Chile, which meets North Korea today, has the heaviest injury list of all 16 competing teams. Both goal-keepers, A. Godoy and J. Olivares, the centre-forward, A. Tobar, and the centre-half, I. Prieto, are casualties. The most serious are Godoy, with a broken thumb, and Tobar, who must have a cartilage operation before he can play again. Both Chile and North Korea lost their opening games, and a second defeat for either would be disastrous. Spain, which plays Switzerland today, also has injury trouble. Its talented insideforward, L. Suarez, has an injured leg and a key defender, E. Silvestre, is unlikely to play for the rest of the tournament. Switzerland, beaten, 5-0, by

West Germany in its opening match, now has a great chance ot defeating a patehed-up Spanish team. England will have great interest in the fourth match today, that between Uruguay and France. All four teams in the London-based group have a point each, and England has yet to meet France and Mexico. i Uniguay proved itself masiter of defence when holding England to a 0-0 draw, while France was not convincing when drawing, 1-1, with Mexico. The two could produce a third draw for the group, which would enhance England's hopes of heading the group.