He was never once cautioned or sent off. He never allowed his insuperable self-confidence to be portrayed as arrogance. There was about him a self-obsession that would drive him to a soccer longevity that will never be equaled. At 50 years and five days of age, he played his final first-class match in England, but at 60 he was still a sprightly winger when he coached the kids of South Africa's townships. Stanley Matthews was the man who taught us the way football should be played,'' said Pele, one of maybe five individuals in a world of 200 million soccer practitioners, who could touch Matthews for fame.
Comparisons are pointless.
He was the best of his breed in his era, a performer who could inspire an audience and mesmerize all opponents. But it was an era when the spirit of soccer was man against man. In modern times, the coaches rule. It is suggested that England is a nation in mourning for Matthews, but there is no need. He was 85 and had been inconsolable since Mila, his second wife, died last year.