How Abdul Razak stunned Pele in a ball juggling challenge in 1978

Former Black Stars midfielder, Abdul Razak, has recounted how he had to impress late football icon Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele when he first joined USA side Cosmos in 1978.

According to Razak, Pele put him to the test in a ball juggling challenge between himself and the Brazillian legend on his first at the club.

In an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah TV on YouTube, he revealed that Pele was pleased to learn that he was Ghanaian during the initial conversation.

"Although he left before I was signed, he was still attached to the club and we trained together. I met him on the first day and he asked me where I'm from and I said I'm a Ghanaian and he said 'Ghana, very good'," he said.

The former Asante Kotoko player added that Pele then drew him to a ball juggling test which he passed and became good friends with the three-time World Cup winner.

"After the introduction, he did ball juggling and handed played the ball to me. I controlled and did what I had to do...and played it back to him and he said 'Good'. So we were close."

Abdul Razak is recognised as one of Ghana's finest all-time players, with a fantastic left foot. Those who saw him describe him as an electrifying talent who always made the price of the tickets worth it.

Before joining Cosmos in 1978, he spent four seasons at Asante Kotoko, where he earned African Footballer of the Year in '78.

He won two titles with Comos in two years before returning to Kotoko. He won the North American Soccer League and Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup.

Razak is best remembered for the pivotal role he played in Ghana's Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 1978. He scored a golden goal in the semi-final to qualify Ghana to the final. Hence, he is nicknamed 'The Golden Boy'.

Wacth Abdul Razak narrate his first time meeting Pele via the interview below from



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