At 5 feet 8 inches, or 1.73 meters, Palais was strong and fast. He played before the era of football as a global business. At 35 he came out of retirement to help to launch soccer in the United States. His world aim is Etcen Arantes de Nacimento. In today's game he would have been a billionaire.
From Pelé, the “king of football”, to Britain’s longest-reigning queen, our editors and correspondents reflected on the accomplishments of many notable figures who died this year. But our obituaries editor shone a light also on the lives and legacies of lesser-known figures.
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