Summary
Ally McCoist revealed that Pele was obsessed with one former Scottish player when he interviewed the Brazilian.
Pele held fond memories of playing against the midfielder.
The Scot was one of the most iconic players of his generation.
Rangers hero Ally McCoist revealed the Scottish icon that Pele was obsessed with talking about when he interviewed the legendary Brazilian. The goalscoring machine was one of the earliest stars in football and stood out against the greatest on the planet at the time.
The World Cup winner was never afraid to speak about his experiences playing against certain opponents from his past, having previously labelled Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer as the toughest defenders he ever came up against. However, there was one midfielder he appeared to have a particular fascination with, according to McCoist.
Pele's Fascination For Leeds Legend
Speaking with talkSPORT, McCoist revealed how he was once given the chance to interview Pele during the 1998 World Cup.
"In 1998 at the World Cup in France I was in the very fortunate position to sit down and conduct a 20-minute interview with none other than Pele," the Scot revealed.
"I thought it went brilliant, but I don’t know about Pele. I was sitting there like a wee boy shaking. He didn’t have a clue who I was.
"1970 World Cup was the first one I can remember sitting watching Pele, Rivellino, and Carlos Alberto."
However, once the conversation started flowing, McCoist revealed that there was one person the Brazilian was more interested in talking about.
"And do you know what I’ll always remember about the interview? The thing he kept asking me about was Billy Bremner. I think we go back to 1974 and Scotland played Brazil in the World Cup and Bremner was absolutely immense in that particular game and left his mark on Pele and a few of the Brazilians.
"It has obviously registered and stuck in Pele’s head. He was effectively asking me if Billy Bremner had cooled down yet. It was a magical, magical moment."
While McCoist's facts may be inaccurate, as Pele didn't play in the game between Scotland and Brazil during the 1974 World Cup, which finished 0-0, it is clear that Bremner's performance left enough of an impression on 'The King of Football' either way.
That is not the only instance of Pele singing the praises of the former midfielder either. The superstar forward was once quoted as saying: "Everyone is football from a generation knows of Leeds United's Billy Bremner. As a midfield player, he was a free spirit who worked on instinct. Billy played with his heart. He was a winner."
Billy Bremner's Iconic Career
Billy Bremner for Leeds United
Bremner was one of the most fiery and aggressive midfielders in British football history, best known for captaining Leeds United during their golden era under Don Revie. Born in Stirling, Scotland, in 1942, he joined Leeds in 1959 and spent nearly two decades at the club, making over 770 appearances. Though small in stature, Bremner was a giant on the pitch — tenacious, fearless, and utterly relentless. He wasn’t just a tough tackler; he could play too, with great vision, energy, and a knack for controlling games from the middle of the park.
Bremner led Leeds through their most successful period, winning two First Division titles, the FA Cup, League Cup, and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups. He also helped them reach several other finals, including the 1975 European Cup, which they controversially lost to Bayern Munich. His leadership, grit, and will to win defined Leeds’ rugged but brilliant style in the '60s and '70s.
One of the most infamous moments of his career came in the 1974 Charity Shield, when Bremner was sent off alongside Liverpool's Kevin Keegan after the two traded punches following a clash. The image of both men tossing their shirts to the ground as they left the pitch became one of the defining snapshots of British football in the '70s.
For Scotland, he earned 54 caps and captained the national side, playing in the 1974 World Cup. However, his international career ended early after a late-night drinking incident on tour led to a ban.