Fulham's brief appointment of the legendary Pele as a scout in 2002 was an ambitious attempt to bring Brazilian talent to the Premier League. Chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed brought the three-time World Cup winner on board on October 9 that year with a specific mission to identify players from his homeland for the west London club.

Pele, who Al-Fayed called the greatest of all time, noted a shortage of Brazilian players in England at the time. He said there were many playing across Europe in Holland, Spain and Italy, but he was sure that could change for English football.

Delayed Brazilian Breakthrough

Despite that high-profile appointment, the breakthrough was a long time coming.

The story adds a curious layer to the club's modern history as the senior squad handles a challenging start to the Premier League season. They have scored eight goals and conceded ten, leaving them with a goal difference of minus two and thirteen points behind the league leaders. Their recent form, however, shows signs of improvement with three wins from their last five outings, including a 1-0 victory at Coventry City last time out. This forms part of a recent run of three wins, one draw, and one defeat, and the team is now on a two-game winning streak following the win at Coventry and a 1-0 home victory over Hull City on Saturday 17 October, where Alex Iwobi scored the winner.

Pele's Legacy at Craven Cottage

Pele's connection to Fulham predates his scouting role by nearly three decades. He scored for Santos in a 2-1 friendly defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage back in 1973, a moment that remains part of the club's rich mix of encounters with global icons. The current team will be looking to build on their recent positive results when they travel to face Aston Villa on Saturday 31 October. Villa sit ninth in the table, setting up a competitive mid-table clash. Fulham's last result was a 1-0 win at Coventry, secured by an 80th-minute goal from Oscar Bobb, assisted by Josh King. Other recent results include a 2-1 loss at Ipswich, a 1-1 draw with Manchester United, a 3-2 win at West Ham, and a goalless draw at Liverpool.

More detail at livescore.com