Football legend Pele of Brazil was received Saturday at Cairo airport by Egyptian sports officials and fans who converged to welcome the star of Coca-Cola's promotion campaign for the youth social clubs football league.

The 73-year-old football icon -- who last visited Egypt in 1997 to watch the 21 September FIFA World U-17 between Spain and Brazil at Cairo International Stadium -- will launch Copa Coca-Cola's youth tournament from Egypt's Pyramids Plateau.

At the same stadium 24 years earlier, Pele had also scored twice as part of a powerful Santos side that crushed Cairo giants Ahly 5-0 in a friendly before a packed crowd who were jubilant to watch the prominent star.

Following his meeting with Pele to discuss the start of the country's football youth tournament, Egypt's Youth Minister Khaled Abdel-Aziz told reporters "This tournament will help young players join big European teams as well as support national teams in the near future."

One of the world's greatest players ever, Pele won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

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