Talking
about Brazil and do not mention football it is like talking about the Vatican and
do not mention the Pope. Football is not an ordinary issue here. It can start
as a light chat on the last goals of the domestic championships and finish in a
heated discussion among several interlocutors because football is more than a
passion. It is considered a theme that can really interfere in your personal
life, change your mood and in some cases unbalance your mind.
Despite the
latest news about the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the performance of the Argentinian
player Messi, the success of the German Bayern Munchen team or the adaptation
of the Brazilian star Neymar to the European football style, the one who is the absolute king on this
regard is Pelé.
Whatever
are the estimates or the accomplishments, Pelé is still the most remembered star
when it comes to football worldwide. He was elected the athlete of the twentieth
century by French press in 1961 however since he has started his career has
been collecting the glories for his victories. Few Brazilians are recognized
globally as the face of Brazil and promoted the country so strongly in a time
when just traditional press, radio and TV were the available media. His
extraordinary sporting journey and a well-succeeded career as a businessman
transformed him in an icon in the whole planet.
Because of
the doubts generated by the achievements during his sporting career and the
inevitable comparison with the Argentinian player Messi last year, he ordered
by himself a detailed survey to get the accurate data.
Some of the
official marks can be researched in different magazines, books and specialized sites. However it is never too much to point them out:
Playing for
Brazil National Team:
1957, 1962,
1970 – World Cups: tri-world champion
1957, 1963
– Rocca Cup: bi-champion
1958, 1962,
1968 – Osvaldo Cruz Cup : tri-champion
Playing for
other teams:
1955 –
Bauru Radium club – indoor football – champion
1959 –
South American Army championship – champion
1959 –
State of São Paulo local championship – champion
Playing for
New York Cosmos:
1977 – NASL
– North American Soccer League - champion
Playing for
Santos Football Club, the team he has contracted for more than 18 years:
1962 – 1963
- Liberators of America – bi-champion
1962 – 1963
– World Inter-clubs – bi-champion
1968 – Silver
Cup – champion
1961, 1962,
1963, 1964 & 1965 – Brazil Cup - penta-champion
1958, 1960,
1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969 & 1973 –
State of
São Paulo Cup - Ten times champion
Pelé has
won 61 titles, being 25 when playing for tournaments abroad.
Pelé celebrating a goal, photo by Domicio Pinheiro in 1969
With 1283
goals during 1.366 official matches, his average reaches 0,93 goal per game.
According
to Juca Kfhouri, aclaimed Brazilian journalist, specialist in football, “Pelé
is incomparable. Although Messi will certainly overcome him, Pelé has a significant
number of spectacular scores that keeps him in the throne yet”.
One of the best definitions about him was given by the Brazilian poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, who said: "The difficult, the extraordinary, it is not score a thousand goals as Pelé, but score one goal like he does".
The mark of
1283 goals is the title of a luxurious book launched in honor to the player in
São Paulo last October . The weight of 15 kilos and 500 pages are compatible to
the importance of Pelé in the football history. Printed in Italy, the
“collectors book” was handmade produced and just 1283 editions will be
commercialized – all of them autographed by him. They will be sold in New York,
London and Dubai as well.
An
exclusive edition of 200 books will bring hundreds of historical photos,
including the one that shows the athlete wearing the World Cup jersey with
a heart of sweat stamped in the middle of his chest. No wonder that the photo is titled "the heart of the king". That version will cost
about US$ 2,300.00 and will bring the special shot printed in cotton with the
signature of both, the idol and the Brazilian photographer Luiz Paulo Machado, who
took the picture in 1971.
The luxurious edition of Pelé book, photo by Editora Toriba
In 2014
Pelé will be honored again with the inauguration of the Museum Pelé,
established in the coastal city of Santos, where his star has shinned for about
eighteen years. At that
time his restrictive agreements forbidden him to leave Santos FC team and try
an international career which is usual among the athletes nowadays. Several matches took place at Urbano Caldeira
stadium, at Vila Belmiro, where the club established its headquarters.
Vila Belmiro Stadium, aerial view, photo by Tadeu nascimento
The museum
is part of a daring renovation project of a historical sector in downtown Santos,
where two important buildings of the XIX century were located. Known as the Valongo mansions, the buildings will
be reconstructed respecting its cultural architectural heritage.
Pelé Museum project at Valongo neighborhood, file of Ney Caldatto
Designed in
a contemporary style by the Brazilian architect Ney Caldatto, the interior of the museum will be comprised by two
blocks. The first one will include a gigantic twelve-meter sphere which will house
an auditorium for projecting documentaries and movies as well as a venue for
events. In the other block the visitors could stroll through three interconnected
floors that will host the collection of personal objects, shots, awards,
trophies, etc. A deep research has been made by the organizers and curators to
surprise the tourists.
Pelé Museum project, interior with the sphere, file of Ney Caldatto
Sponsored
by important Brazilian and international national companies like Caio,
Carbocloro, Libras Terminais and Sherwin-Williams, the museum has also received
investments from other renowned ones like Gerdau, Mitsubishi, Ambev, Santander
bank, Votorantim and Odebrecht, among others.
The City
Hall of Santos intends to inaugurate it before the World Cup to promote the
name of Santos by inserting it definitely in the route of international tourism
in the future. The city already receives thousands of tourists who arrive in
cruises that stop in its maritime terminal for passengers every year.
Curiosities
about the king:
- The
third person singular is generally used by Edson Arantes do Nascimento (his real name) to refer to
Pelé, as if he is another person.
- The
nickname Pelé was given by his fellow players when Edson played football in the
streets of Bauru with other poor kids. To celebrate the goals he defended as a
goalkeeper he often has shouted “Bilé”, the name of a player from a Brazilian
team where his father played for. Based on what they listened, his friends that
did not understand neither the context nor the expression started to call him “Pelé”,
a nickname that he rejected at the beginning.
-
1.73
m tall, the Brazilian forward was an excellent dribbler who kicked with both
legs.
- Pelé ended his career in 1974 however in 1975 he joined New York Cosmos to
promote football practice in USA. In August
2010 he was named the Honorary President of the club.
- In
1979 he scored his thousandth goal at Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro during
an emotional celebration when he kissed right on the ball.
-
In
the 80´s Pelé had an affair with Xuxa Meneghel, a Brazilian model in the
beginning of career. Later she has introduced a new formula of entertainment
show for children in Brazil and got famous as a TV host, film actress, well-succeeded
singer and businesswoman.
- From
1995 to 1998 he has managed the Extraordinary Ministry for Sports during the
government of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
- Occasionally
the rivalry with Diego Maradona comes to the air. The controversy has been tougher
when both competed for FIFA player of the century in 2010. Maradona won as the
most voted by internet although Pele was elected by FIFA officials, journalists
and coaches.
- In
2011 Pelé was nominated Honorary Ambassador of Brazil for the 2014 World Cup by
President Dilma Roussef.
Pelé and President of Brazil, Dilma Roussef
photo by Roberto Stuckert - PR
Eliana Souza - SPin Brazil Tours
