Ex-Pelé Collection: Brazilian National Football Championship [Taça Brazil] winner's medal awarded to Pelé for one of Santos FC's five successive natio

Ex-Pelé Collection: Brazilian National Football Championship [Taça Brazil] winner's medal awarded to Pelé for one of Santos FC's five successive national titles between 1961 and 1965, gilt, maker's stamp for Montini, the obverse featuring a footballer enclosed by laurel above and wings below, with the C.B.D. emblem in enamel, also maker’s mark indistinctly stamped, the reverse inscribed "Confederação Brasileira de Desportos/ Campeonato Brasileiro/ 1. Lugar", 54 by 35mm., some wear and pitting to gold-toning, overall good Due to the large geographical size of Brazil, and prior to advancements in air travel, traditionally football championships were organised only at state and regional levels. In 1959 the CBD created a national football championship – the Taça Brasil – competed for by state champions. This was deemed necessary to appoint a Brazilian representative in 1960 to the first edition of the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the European Cup/Champions League. The Taça Brasil ran until 1968 before evolving through various formats until settling as today’s Campeonato Brasileiro Série A from 1989. At state level Santos FC competed in the Campeonato Paulista, the top-flight League in the state of São Paulo. As Paulista or reigning Copa Libertadores champions, they qualified for and won a remarkable five successive Taça Brasil titles between 1961 and 1965. Pelé was top goalscorer on three of these occasions. The medal being offered here is undated and therefore it is unknown for which of Pelé's five National Championship titles this was awarded for, Provenance: The Pelé Collection. Julien’s Auctions, London, 7th to 9th June 2016, as lot 1034.