Ipswich Town star John Wark pays tribute to World Cup legend Pele after his death aged 82

As the footballing world pays tribute to Pele, former Ipswich Town and Liverpool player John Wark has shared his memories of making a hit film with the Brazilian star.

Wark, who lives in Suffolk, filmed Escape to Victory with Pele alongside England's World Cup Winning captain Bobby Moore and actor Sylvester Stallone

The player who won the UEFA cup with Ipswich Town, said: "We spent five weeks in Budapest, Hungary, making the movie and Pele was just unbelievable."

"We were top pros, at that time and we were messing about with him before we were filming our football scenes and he was taking the mickey out of us, nutmegging us and everything."

At the time Pele was making the film he had retired from the game, but Wark said the three-time World Cup winner still 'stood out'.

He said: "They wanted him to score a spectacular goal in the movie, and it was an overhead kick.

"I remember Bobby Moore crossing it and you think it would take five or six tries before you could do this skill, and Pele did it first time."

"Bobby Moore and Ossie Ardiles, were just looking at each other thinking 'what was that we've just seen?'.

"His football was on another level, you were are in awe of him.

"I've always said Pele was always the best, even better than Maradonna and Messi, Pele is number one and always will be."

Wark said it was a 'sad day' for him when he had heard Pele had died yesterday after his health deteriorated in recent years.

He added "Everybody is talking about it and it shows you what sort of player he was."

Describing his time with the Brazilian great, Wark added: "When we back in the hotel he was just such a nice guy, we had some great times and it was a privilege to be in his company.

"He knew Bobby Moore well, because he had played against him, he spoke to him quite a lot, I just thought Pele was just such a nice man.

"I didn't expect him to be that cool".