Pele has revealed the ‘dirty trick’ played by his Brazil manager to get him kicked off the national team as they prepared for the 1970 World Cup.

The football legend had played in six qualifying matches as Brazil reached the tournament in Mexico, scoring six goals.

He had already won the World Cup in 1958, in Sweden, and in 1962, in Chile, but in the run-up to the 1970 competition, Pele experienced a dip in form.

Coinciding with that dip in form was the striker’s poor relationship with national team manager Joao Saldanha, which almost led to Pele being dropped from the squad.

In a…