Pele wants defensive walls banned
Thursday, 8 November 2007 13:55Pele has called on world governing body FIFA to ban defending teams setting up walls after conceding free-kicks close to the box.
The Brazil World Cup legend believes it is unfair for sides to be allowed to get so many players behind the ball when a striker may have been denied a clearer goalscoring chance.
Pele, widely recognised as the game's greatest player, scored more than 1,000 goals in a glittering career that included three World Cup wins.
The 67-year-old said: 'You can debate changing the rules of football.
'There is one rule I have debated at FIFA. As a forward, the wall - I don't know why they have not banned the wall from the game.
'The forward gets the ball from the midfield, dribbles for one-two or passes three or four players but when you get close to the goal, the last defender makes a foul.
'After you have passed all the players, one guy makes a foul and then you have the whole team in the wall against you again. It is not fair.
'It is one rule I don't understand, as a forward, why they didn't ban.'
Pele would also have no objections to using video technology to help the referee on the field make decisions.
He said: 'The big issue is, do you use technology? This is life. You cannot stop because life is changing and the world continues.'
