Pelé’s iconic number 10 football shirt, worn when he played at Home Park 50 years ago on 14 March 1973, is going on display at The Box from next Tuesday.

The date marks 50 years to the day when the man considered by many to be the world’s greatest footballer and his Santos FC team played a friendly against Plymouth Argyle – and lost 3-2!

Os Santásticos were in town as part of an international tour and it proved to be a night to remember for the 37,000 fans who saw the match. Argyle raced to a 3-0 lead at half-time with goals from Mike Dowling, Derek Rickard and Jimmy Hinch. Late goals from Pelé and Edu made it 3-2 in the end. The game was the chance of a lifetime for many to see some of the biggest footballing stars on the planet.

At the end of the match Pelé gave his shirt to Plymouth Argyle defender Johnny Hore, who has now kindly loaned it to The Box. Visitors can see it on display from 14 March until 23 April alongside a shirt worn by substitute Vicenté. Vicenté was brought down in the box late in the game, leading to the penalty Pelé scored.

Two match day programmes dating from 14 and 31 March 1973, will also feature in the case. The 31 March programme is a ‘Santos Souvenir Special’. It’s one item from 85 boxes of material that have just been transferred to The Box from the Plymouth Argyle Heritage Archive. The material, which is a brilliant addition to the city’s public archives and will be available for research, includes an almost complete run of home and away programmes spanning 1945-2022.