Maurice Filankembo, nicknamed at the time Lipopo, was part of the 1967 Congolese team that faced King Pélé’s Santos FC in a friendly match at the Stade Massemba-Débat in Brazzaville on 7 June of the same year.
The Republic of the Congo stage generated enthusiasm and huge crowds in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Senegal and Ivory Coast, as did the four other countries visited by the Brazilian team.
“Peeled off, it was a phenomenon and everyone wanted to see Pele. Some people walked into the stadium that day who had never been to see the phenomenon,” Maurice said.
“I was encouraged by the football genius King Edson Arantes do Nascimento (joy, edited). Unfortunately, we suffered in the second half as Santos refused to lose. You In the last two minutes, Pele managed to score a penalty and beat us 3-2.”
King Pele died Thursday at the age of 82, but his exploits in the round-ball world will be forever remembered by many football enthusiasts like Maurice FilanKembo.