The Two Most Famous Number 10's in the World

There are certain days in my line of business that I am unlikely to forget. Fighting Roy Jones junior in the ring over three rounds comes to mind, as does playing cricket for Australia, tackling Jonah Lomu, racing against Michael Schumacher or playing golf with Tiger Woods. Yesterday can now be added to that list because much of it was spent at 10, Downing Street in the company of Pele.

The Brazilian is in most people's books the greatest footballer ever in the history of the sport. Maradona comes closest to him but not even he can match Pele's three World Cup winners' medals, 77 goals in 92 internationals and a staggering 1,281 goals in total in just 1,363 games. Ironically the three stand out moments for me in Pele's career saw him failing to score in any of them - the bamboozling of the goalkeeper when Pele ran away from the ball, the attempt at goal from the halfway line and the header that produced the save of the century from Gordon Banks.

After that he went off to play for the New York Cosmos who, in the mid-70's, became the darling of the Big Apple and American sport before retiring from the game. His number ten shirt was also retired from the Cosmos.

Now Pele and the Cosmos are back. The New York team are being rebuilt under the guidance of Pele (Honorary President), Eric Cantona (Director of Soccer) and Chairman Paul Kemsley, and are here in England to play against Manchester United tomorrow night at Old Trafford in the Paul Scholes testimonial.

He was also on hand to launch the Official New York Cosmos Opus, which is how I managed to wrangle my way into Number Ten yesterday for the first time in my life. To be able to play kickabout with the greatest footballer ever in the back garden of the Prime Minister's residence was, to say the least, special, let alone wandering around the cabinet rooms and the halls of Number 10 with the most famous Number 10 of them all.

Pele is a man clearly much-loved by British sports fans, not just for his brilliance, nor for the teams he shone for (the 1970 Brazil World Cup winning team is arguably the greatest football team ever) but for his humbleness and presence.

Also present yesterday was Deputy Speaker of the House, Nigel Evans MP, who has seen a lot of celebrities come and go from Number 10. His verdict? "Probably number three in my time," he says. It begs the question who makes one and two? "The Queen, the Barack Obama." Fair enough then! 

Pele was in London to announce 'The Official New York Cosmos Opus', the definitive publication on one of the world's most glamorous football franchises due to be realised in late 2012. Together with chairman Paul Kemsley and direct of soccer Eric Cantona, the Brazilian legend and club Honorary President also visited Number 10 Downing Street to sign and hand over his Cosmos number 10 shirt for charity, before heading north to Manchester for Friday night's Paul Scholes testimonial between Manchester United and the New York Cosmos at Old Trafford.

Check out Sportsvibe's EXCLUSIVE video with the one and only Pele here.