Edson Arantes do Nascimento (better known worldwide as Pelé) once graced the hallowed turf at Portland Park, Troon.

In a training camp to acclimatise the players ahead of the 1966 World Cup, Brazil (with Garrincha, Jairzhino, Gerson, Tostao, Zico) stayed at the Marine Hotel in Troon & the team trained at our very own Portland Park.

The reigning World Champions spent time on the West coast of Scotland before the tournament & even played a friendly against our own national side.

Troon was certainly very different from the Maracana, that is for sure.

The squad was staying at the Marine Hotel in the town and we needed somewhere to train. It was ideal for us. The dressing rooms might not have been the kind we were used to but the pitch was good.

I remember it being summer but it was still quite cold.

We had a good time on that trip though. The people all came out to see us and we had a very warm welcome.

I had not been to Scotland in a very long time but I always remembered the enthusiastic welcome I received. The Scottish people are very friendly.

Pelé, speaking to the Sunday Mail

Pelé happily signed autographs for all the watching schoolkids & mingled with all the onlookers, before heading back to the hotel to prepare for the upcoming Scotland friendly match.

Brazil played Scotland at Hampden on June, 25, 1966, as part of the South American side’s World Cup warm-up schedule. The game finished 1-1 with Stevie Chalmers scoring for Scotland in the first minute before Servilio equalised for Brazil on 15 minutes.

Although Pelé’s Brazil missed out on glory on the 1966 World Cup, he returned to seal a stunning third winners medal in the 1970 tournament.

In total, the icon racked up 92 caps for Brazil and scored a record-setting 77 goals for the national team.

Everyone at Troon F.C. was desperately saddened to hear of the passing of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, best known as Pelé, at the age of 82 on the 29th December 2022.

The former Brazil star had been at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in Sao Paulo since 29 November. A medical report just before Christmas showed that he needed care for cardiac and renal dysfunction, having been battling colon cancer since September 2021.

Arguably, the greatest player to have ever played the game, and certainly the greatest to have ever graced Portland Park.

Quite simply, a legend.

RIP Pelé