Pele leads Gordon Banks tributes as England World Cup winner dies aged 81

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/12/gordon-banks-dies-world-cup-winner-england-1966-goalkeeper
Pelé led the tributes from around the world on Tuesday after the death of Gordon Banks, widely regarded as England’s greatest ever goalkeeper and a key member of the 1966 World Cup winning side. The Brazil forward’s name will be forever linked with that of Banks as a result of one of the 1970 World Cup’s most memorable moments, with Pelé generously suggesting he is happy the goalkeeper kept out his famous header because it led to a subsequent friendship.

Gordon Banks on his famous Pelé save: 'I didn’t even realise I’d made it'

“I have great sadness in my heart today and I send condolences to the family Gordon was so proud of,” Pelé said. “I scored many goals in my life but people always like to ask about the one I didn’t score, because of that save. While it was indeed phenomenal my memory of Gordon is not defined by that but his friendship. He was a kind, warm man who gave so much to people. I am glad he saved my header because it was the start of a friendship I will always treasure. Whenever we met it was like we had never been apart.”

The former Chesterfield, Leicester and Stoke goalkeeper was 81, and had been suffering from kidney cancer. Though ever-present in England’s run to the World Cup final Banks was responsible for few heroics or outstanding performances in 1966. His reputation for being virtually unbeatable, almost certainly the best in the world at the time, was largely based on the World Cup four years later, with one save in particular catapulting him into the ranks of lasting legends.