Match · 12 July 1966 · Group stage
Brazil 2–0 Bulgaria
Brazil's first match at the 1966 World Cup, in which Pelé scored but was fouled so often he missed the next game.
Brazil opened their 1966 campaign at Goodison Park in Liverpool. Pelé scored in the 15th minute and Garrincha added a second in the 63rd.
The goal made Pelé the first player to score at three World Cups in a row. But the Bulgarian defenders fouled him throughout, and he left with a knee injury that kept him out of the next match, a 3–1 defeat by Hungary.
The crowd was 47,308.
Brazil were two-time holders and had Vicente Feola back in charge. The rough treatment Pelé received in this match set the tone for the tournament, which is remembered for its physical play and inconsistent refereeing. Feola expected other teams to target him in the same way, and they did.