When Pele was impressed by Mohun Bagan's quality in his 1977 visit to India

Pele, whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, died on Thursday at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer.

During one of his visits to India, the football legend who led Brazil to World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970 was mesmerised by the talent.

Pele was overwhelmed by the depth of talent possessed by a "little-known" Indian club on a slushy and jam-packed Eden Gardens on September 24, 1977, in the twilight of his career.

Desperate for a revival following East Bengal's dominance, the PK Banerjee-coached Mariners not only prevented the 'King of Football' from scoring but nearly won 2-1 before a controversial penalty made it a 2-2 draw against the star-studded New York Cosmos.

Mohun Bagan had planned a felicitation ceremony for Pele in the evening, during which he would be presented with a diamond ring. Pele, on the other hand, was more interested in meeting the players first.

Shibaji Banerjee, a goalkeeper, was the first on the list. When the name of the sixth player was announced, Pele emerged from behind the barricade and hugged the player.

"Sporting a wry smile he told me, 'So, you are that number 14 who did not allow me to move...' I was left awe-struck," Sarkar remembered that evening vividly, even after 45 years.

"Chunida (Chuni Goswami) was there standing beside me on the dias and heard all this. He soon told me: 'Gautam you now give up football -- what's there to achieve after hearing this compliment'. Indeed, this was the biggest achievement of my football career."

"I don't want to boast about myself, but according to a newspaper report, my photo is still hanging in the New York Cosmos club. He was so overwhelmed by our play that he wanted to meet the players first. Never thought a club team from a country like India would play like this."

The preparations began three weeks in advance, and Mohun Bagan needed to make a statement.

"The prospect of playing against Pele was one of the reasons why I moved from East Bengal to Mohun Bagan. As it happened, it all changed our club's fortune," Shyam Thapa who famously gave Mohun Bagan the lead said.

Four days later, Mohun Bagan faced East Bengal in the coveted IFA Shield final, which the Mariners won 1-0, ending their arch-rivals' title-winning streak.

"It was a platform for us to revive our fortunes. The result gave us much-needed confidence to face East Bengal. We found our mojo back," well-known Mohun Bagan defender Subrata Bhattacharya remembered.

They continued their comeback by winning the Rovers Cup and the Durand Cup.

"We wanted to give everything in the field. The match helped us grow as a team," said then Mohun Bagan midfielder Prasun Banerjee, now a TMC member of Parliament.

Pele's best scoring chance came from a free kick from the top of the box. Shibaji Banerjee saved the ball after it rose and spun in towards the left upright.

Pele revisits Kolkata

Pele returned to the city seven years ago during the Durga Puja festival, this time with a walking stick, but his aura captivated everyone, including the city's cricket icon Sourav Ganguly, a self-proclaimed Brazil fan.

"I've played three World Cups. There's a big difference between being a winner and a runner-up. To hold that World Cup and a few Golden Boots must be phenomenal," Ganguly said in awe of the great man in the felicitation ceremony at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Pele also reunited with the legendary PK, Subhash Bhowmick, and Shibaji Banerjee from the 1977 Mohun Bagan batch.

"I accepted to come here in India because I love the people here," Pele said.

When someone in the dias asked him if there could be another Pele, the King of Football responded with a cheeky reply.

"Listen, I'm sorry. My father and my mother closed the machine. There will be no other Pele."

His last words before signing off were: "If I can help in some way, I'll be here again."