“… Mexico was a controversial choice as World Cup host in 1970, primarily because it was widely expected that the heat and altitude would result in poor football. Instead, Brazil turned on the style to become, almost without question, the most celebrated World Cup-winning side in history. It helped that the World Cup was now televised around the world — and for the first time, in colour. … Brazil triumphed amid a period of political turbulence back home, with a military dictatorship in place since 1964. ‘We had a fantastic side and everyone expected us to win, which gave me the shakes,’ Pele later said. ‘I was very nervous and under a lot of pressure. Maybe people have forgotten, but the political situation in Brazil was not good and we felt that we simply had to win the title. Thank God we were able to do it.’ And they did it in style. …”
NY Times/The Athletic