The save that brought them together

– Pele said Gordon Banks’ legendary save in the 1970 World Cup bound the two men together in a lasting friendship as he paid tribute to the former England goalkeeper, who died aged 81 on Tuesday.

The Brazilian great said he still cannot believe Banks managed to scoop away the header in Guadalajara’s Estadio Jalisco.

“The save was one of the best I have ever seen – in real life and in all the thousands of games I have watched since,” Pele, 78, said on Facebook. “He came from nowhere and did something I didn’t feel was possible. He pushed my header, somehow, up and over.

“And I couldn’t believe what I saw. Even now when I watch it, I can’t believe it. I can’t believe how he moved so far, so fast.”

That save from Pele four years later came to define Banks’ career.

“So I am glad he saved my head-

London

er because that act was the start of a friendship between us that I will always treasure.

“Rest in peace, my friend. Yes, you were a goalkeeper with magic. But you were also so much more. You were a fine human being.”

Bobby Charlton, the driving force of the 1966 World Cup team, also paid tribute, saying he was “proud to call him a team-mate”.

“Obviously we shared that great day in 1966 but it was more than that,” Charlton said. “Even though I was on the pitch and have seen it many times since, I still don’t know how he saved that header from Pele.”

Football’s global governing body Fifa sent its condolences.

“Once a champion, always a champion. We are deeply sorry to hear of the death of @England World Cup winner @thegordonbanks,” it tweeted.

“He was one of the game’s greatest goalkeepers...”

“He was a wonderful man and we knew we had big shoes to fill and that helped us as well,” goalie Ray Clemence told the BBC.

“We had to keep the standard of English goalkeeping at the level Gordon had set.” –