International Football
VIDEOS: IT’S 50 YEARS TODAY SINCE PELE SCORED HIS 1,000TH GOAL!
The revered Brazil striker Pele scored his 1,000th goal on November 19, 1969 at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium in a match between his beloved Santos and local outfit Vasco de Gama, whose vast ranks of fans gave the iconic No. 10 a standing ovation.
That goal half a century ago was a beautifully converted penalty,
which escaped the grasp of the Vasco goalkeeper, sparking a pitch invasion by
the press and culminating in Pele being paraded shoulder-high around the
historic stadium by his teammates.
Swarms of photographers and journalists had been poised pitchside for the moment.
Pele, a national hero after helping Brazil to two World Cup wins in 1958 and 1962, was still just 29 years old when he broke the 1,000-goal barrier.
The penalty decision was a doubtful one. Pele recently joked that with today’s VAR system it would likely have been refused.
The goal has etched itself into the Brazilian national consciousness, a deft finish into the bottom right corner, with Pele running to collect the ball and kissing it as he turned away.
Some 65,157 fans had bought tickets for the Brazilian league match in which Pele scored the landmark goal and which Santos went on to win 2-1. Folklore says there were 80,000 in the stands.
Even if today there is debate over the exact number of his goals
that should count in an official tally, there is no debate over Pele’s sublime
goal-scoring talent and the place the now 79-year-old holds in the public
imagination.
“I don’t need a party to celebrate this,” Pele said after the goal. “For me it is much more important to help poor children and those in need, I’m thinking above all of the kind of Christmas those people are going to spend.”
Years later, Pele would tell an anecdote about street children in Santos and how the message from his 1,000th goal was for them.
“A few days before the goal I was in Santos and I saw some kids trying to steal cars and I said: ‘Hey boys what are you doing?’ They tried to justify it by saying they would only target cars from Sao Paulo, so I told them they shouldn’t rob anyone at all. That was the message from my 1,000th goal,” Pele said.
Pele also says he held off from scoring his 1,000th goal so he could achieve the feat on the big stage at the Maracana.
In a hastily arranged friendly against Botofogo two weeks earlier he scored twice to take his tally to 999.
Then, on November 16, Santos played in Salvador against Bahia.
“I don’t want to annoy the Baianos, but I wanted the goal to be in an official game, so I stopped shooting at goal in that game. I was afraid the players would just let it in,” he said.
Many studies have been done on whether or not the November 19 goal was indeed his 1,000th and there are differences of opinion.
Whatever the count Pele, and his entourage, have settled on a final unofficial tally of 1,281 goals in 1,363 games, though that includes the many friendlies Santos played.
There is also his 1,000th goal in a Santos shirt which came against Universidad de Mexico in a friendly in Chicago July 2, 1972.
International football research web site RSSSF (Rec. Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation) put Pele’s total at 767 in 831 official matches. That puts him only third in the all-time list.
Czech striker Josef Bican stands top with 805 goals in 530 games in a career interrupted by World War II. Romario, who helped Brazil to the 1994 World Cup, is second on 772 goals from 994.
Breathing down Pele’s neck are current stars Cristiano Ronaldo on 724 from 1,018 games and Lionel Messi on 708 from 890.
–AFP
International Football
FIFA Unites 2025 Kicks Off in Morocco, Marks Historic Debut for Afghan Refugee Women’s Team
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced that the inaugural FIFA Unites 2025 women’s competition will take place in Morocco, beginning Sunday, October 26.
According to FIFA, the friendly tournament will feature several women’s national teams and will serve as a landmark event for women’s football, notably marking the first-ever international appearance of the Afghan refugee women’s team.
The side, officially named “Afghan Women United,” was named by the players themselves after consultations with FIFA.
In addition to Afghanistan’s historic participation, the tournament will also see the Libyan and Chadian women’s teams expected to enter the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking for the first time after the event.
FIFA expressed appreciation to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) for its cooperation and logistical support in hosting the competition, highlighting Morocco’s growing role as a major hub for women’s football development on the African continent.
The global football governing body also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing women’s football and gender inclusion, emphasizing that the competition is part of its Action Strategy for Afghan Women’s Football, approved by the FIFA Council in May 2025.
The strategy encompasses the organization of competitive opportunities, ongoing technical assistance, and support for Afghan players during the selection and preparation stages.
Through FIFA Unites 2025, the organization aims to promote solidarity, inclusion, and empowerment through sport — underscoring football’s unique role in providing hope and opportunity, particularly for women in challenging circumstances.
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International Football
Again, it is #DestinationMorocco as FIFA takes Women’s Series 2025 to the Kingdom
By Kunle Solaja
FIFA has officially confirmed that the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 will be hosted by Morocco, with the opening matches scheduled to kick off on Sunday, October 26.
The event marks yet another milestone for Moroccan football, further cementing the kingdom’s growing stature as a global hub for the sport.
The upcoming tournament promises historic firsts for women’s football. The Afghan Women United team—formed from Afghan players living in exile—will play their first-ever international match, while Chad and Libya will make their FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking debuts at the conclusion of the round-robin competition.
In a statement, FIFA expressed gratitude to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) for its collaboration and reiterated its commitment to advancing women’s football globally. The world football governing body also reaffirmed its support for Afghan women footballers, no
ting that the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, approved by the FIFA Council in May 2025, continues to guide the federation’s inclusive efforts.
“FIFA looks forward to working closely with the FMRF to host a successful and symbolic tournament that showcases the unifying power of football,” the organization said.
As part of that effort, FIFA confirmed that Afghan Women United was selected as the team’s new official name following consultations with players—a symbolic gesture reflecting unity, resilience, and identity amid global challenges.
Morocco: A Flourishing Football Destination
Morocco’s selection as host comes at a time when the North African nation’s football profile is soaring. The country is currently hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and, just this week, celebrated another historic milestone as its U-20 men’s team clinched the FIFA U-20 World Cup title—a triumph widely viewed as the fruit of a long-term national sports vision.
A Victory Rooted in Royal Vision
The Lion Cubs’ success is no accident. It stems from a deliberate and structured sports policy championed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has consistently positioned sport as a catalyst for human, social, and territorial development. Since the National Sports Conference of 2008, the King’s leadership has inspired a generation of athletes and administrators to see football as both a unifying national force and a tool for youth empowerment.
The Mohammed VI Football Academy: Cradle of Excellence
Central to Morocco’s football renaissance is the Mohammed VI Football Academy (AMF), inaugurated in 2010. The academy epitomizes the royal vision of using sport as a means of education, personal growth, and international competitiveness. Five players from the victorious U-20 squad—Yassir Zabir, Othmane Kountoune, Fouad Zahouani, Houssam Essadak, and Yassine Khalifi—are proud graduates of the academy.
Investing in Infrastructure and Inclusion
Morocco’s nationwide expansion of local playing fields, regional training centres, and modern football facilities has created a fertile ground for nurturing young talent. This democratization of access to sport has shaped a new generation of Moroccan youth—disciplined, skilled, and confident on the global stage.
The success of both the Atlas Lions at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the Atlas Lionesses, who reached the knockout stages of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, reflects the depth of this comprehensive strategy.
A Beacon of African and Arab Football
With the hosting of the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 and the country’s string of international achievements, Morocco continues to position itself as a pioneer in African and Arab football. Its success is more than athletic—it is symbolic of a nation where sport drives progress, unity, and pride.
As the Afghan Women United, Chad, and Libya prepare to make history in Morocco this October, the Kingdom once again proves that its football journey is not only national but inspirational—anchored in vision, excellence, and the unifying power of the beautiful game.
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Brazil will round off their 2025 calendar with two friendly matches in Europe next month, taking on Senegal and Tunisia as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) announced on Thursday.
The five-time world champions, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will face Senegal on November 15 at Emirates Stadium in London and, three days later, they will meet Tunisia in Lille, France.
The CBF announced that these fixtures were designed to “provide the team with valuable experience against African opposition” ahead of next year’s tournament in North America.
After the conclusion of the South American qualifiers, the choice of opponents follows October’s encounters against Asian teams, which saw Brazil beat South Korea 5-0 but suffer a stunning first defeat to Japan.
With coach Ancelotti facing limited preparation time after arriving in May from Real Madrid, the matches form part of a broader plan to expose Brazil to a variety of playing styles in preparation for next year’s the World Cup.
Looking ahead to March 2026, the CBF has indicated that Brazil’s next set of friendlies will likely be against top-level European nations, with the U.S. as the expected venue.
Ancelotti has been steadily implementing his vision for the squad and has emphasised the importance of adapting to diverse tactical challenges, particularly against teams from other continents.
CBF sources indicated that the plan for the three remaining international breaks would be to make final observations regarding players and tactical adjustments in November, lock in the starting line-up in March and strengthen ties with Brazilian fans with a final friendly at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana before departing for the tournament.
The upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia will provide an opportunity to test Brazil’s readiness against two of Africa’s strongest sides.
Senegal boast a formidable squad featuring Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson and Kalidou Koulibaly. They shocked Brazil 4-2 in their last encounter, a friendly played in Lisbon two years ago.
Tunisia, meanwhile, are known for their defensive organisation and have consistently performed well in African competitions.
Back in September they were the second African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with two games to spare.
-Reuters
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