The brilliance of Brazilian great and record three-time World Cup winner Pele. The England men’s team hoisting the trophy back in 1966. Lionel Messi following in Diego Maradona’s footsteps.
The Fifa World Cup has given us many of history’s great sporting moments, and in turn a plethora of iconic photographs through which these moments live on.
With commentary also from Julian Ridgway, managing archive editor at Getty Images, here is a visual look at players before the world knew what they would become – early archive shots of footballers who later defined the tournament.
Pele
Pele, posing in football kit at 10 years old in 1950, made World Cup history as Brazil’s teenaged No 10 eight years later (Photo: Getty)
