Pele has offered his backing to David Beckham by stressing the England captain "has nothing to prove".
The form of Beckham has caused some concern during the World Cup, although his winning strike against Ecuador in the second round lifted some pressure from his shoulders.
"The fans expect too much sometimes. Beckham works hard, the other players respect him as a leader and he scored the winning goal against Ecuador. He has nothing to prove," Pele told the Daily Telegraph.