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Pele almost joined Real Madrid in the move everybody wanted to see

Legend claims he wondered about moving to a European club but revealed he has no regrets about staying loyal to Santos

PELE has admitted he almost signed for Real Madrid on several occasions during his career.

The legendary Brazil striker scored over 1,000 goals for Santos but hung up his boots without testing himself in Europe.

 Pele scored over 1,000 goals for Santos and won three World Cups with Brazil
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Pele scored over 1,000 goals for Santos and won three World Cups with Brazil

Despite being one of the original superstars brought to America with the New York Cosmos, many fans wanted to see Pele test himself abroad.

And the three-time World Cup winner revealed they almost got their wish.

He said: “There were many times when I was very close to signing with Real Madrid.”

 Pele, using a walking stick, told reporters he was not 100 per cent healthy — just 99 per cent
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Pele, using a walking stick, told reporters he was not 100 per cent healthy — just 99 per cent

Speaking ahead of the release of ‘Pele: Birth of a Legend’, Pele insisted he had no regrets about staying in his homeland but wondered what it would have been like playing in Europe.

The film looks back at the striker’s rise from the Brazilian slums to the world stage.

And Pele, 75, joked that he wanted to congratulate the actors who played him as a child in the film, although they are not as handsome as he was.

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