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When Pelé traveled to the UK a decade ago to promote the revamped New York Cosmos, he wowed young and old, modest and majestic.
At a charity reception in Downing Street, he spent several hours in the garden playing football with children and signing autographs.
To coincide with a trip to Old Trafford, he said that Manchester United around 2011 would have been a good fit for his talent. He, too, patiently complied with media commitments and flashed a winning smile for photographer David Bailey.
Brazilian soccer legend Pelé revealed a touching side of being a global icon during the final interview conducted before his death.
At one point, he also agreed in principle to an Opus book on his behalf. The latest in a series of coffee table tomes, publisher Karl Fowler hoped the book would be a beautiful tribute to his subject’s career, combining photography, biography, and an interview with Pele himself.
He would focus on his three World Cup wins, in 1958, 1962 and 1970. More than any other feat, they had secured his legacy.
“We said: ‘Look, we have to tell your story,'” Fowler, who was involved in bringing Pele to Downing Street, told The Mail on Sunday. ‘“Celebrate your career, and particularly the World Cups.”’
The project took a while to get off the ground and was slowed by the pandemic, but Fowler and his team spent enough time with Pelé to get information on the man, traveling to his apartment in Sao Paulo and his princely beach house south of the city. . .
In discussions about content and design, they were met by a gentleman host who was calm, patient, and clearly enthusiastic about the work.
The Brazilian reflected on lifting the World Cup at just 17 years old when Brazil defeated Sweden in 1958
In discussions of content and design, they found their host to be a gentleman, calm, patient, and clearly enthusiastic about the job.
“There were pictures that I was looking at in their entirety for the first time,” Fowler said. “She was reliving those memories again and she wasn’t afraid to show her emotion. To me, that showed her sincerity. He was humble, without airs or graces, and a very genuine person.’
Finally, early last summer, Pelé sat down at his beach house for what is understood to be his last interview, published here for the first time.
Pelé was perhaps the most famous soccer player of all time and participated in four World Cups.
He was in a reflective mood, discussing how he wished to be remembered, the difficulty of living up to the expectations of his countless fans, and the relief he felt in winning the 1970 World Cup, the greatest achievement of his career.
He also revealed how close he came to never competing in that tournament, having left international soccer in what he described as the “embarrassing” aftermath of the 1966 World Cup, with Brazil knocked out in the group stage as defending champions.
He followed his personal disappointment in leaving the 1962 tournament early through injury. “I didn’t want to play in another World Cup,” he said. ‘This was the second tournament in a row where I managed to play just two games before getting injured.
Brazilian legend Pelé (pictured) celebrates his goal against Italy in the 1970 World Cup
‘It was bad enough in 1962, but at least Brazil was still world champion. But to be kicked out of the 1966 World Cup like that was devastating. I had had enough. I wanted to say goodbye to the World Cup. I was very depressed.
He was true to his word until the 1970 tournament in Mexico approached and Brazil’s political leaders joined in imploring the return of the team’s talisman. “There were people who wanted me to come back,” Pele said. “I didn’t want to play because I didn’t want to go through what happened in England in 1966 again.
‘But I wanted to be remembered and I knew that I hadn’t done much in the World Cup since 1958. I also knew that this would be my last World Cup. In the end I changed my mind and joined the team. I did it for me.’
The former Santos star also detailed his reservations about returning to the Brazil squad for the 1970 tournament.
Although his decision pleased many Brazilian fans, his media were skeptical of his ability to improve a team packed with exceptional talent, including Jairzinho, Tostao and Rivellino.
Like Pelé, they were all attacking players. ‘Everyone in the press was saying that he was not in good shape and that he did not want to come back. I felt under a lot of pressure. Being Pelé was difficult. I didn’t like him or want him, but I wanted to take one last chance.
Initially, criticism was directed at Pelé and his performance in training suffered. It took a promise from newly appointed coach Mario Zagallo, Pelé’s former teammate in Brazil, to revive him. He told me that he didn’t believe that I was myself. He said, “You’re not going to get caught.”
He was correct. But he said that he would play me in every match and I got my confidence back.”
Zagallo also selected the other three strikers mentioned above, along with the brilliant midfielder Gerson, in a famously ambitious line-up.
“The 1970 team was the best Brazilian team I played for,” Pele said. ‘We had three world-class players for each position, especially mine. Now he was desperate to succeed.
After beating England 1-0 in the group stage, a game that featured Gordon Banks’ memorable save on Pele, they reached the final against Italy with relative ease.
Pelé recalled the bus ride to the Azteca Stadium through the busy streets of Mexico City. “I looked out the window and saw all the fans waving flags and shouting: ‘Brazil, Brazil, Pelé, Pelé.’ I started to cry.
Despite his reservations, Pelé would return to help lead Brazil to a third World Cup triumph in Mexico.
“I was the oldest player on the squad and I didn’t want my teammates to see me cry. After everything that had happened in the last 12 years, this was an outpouring. I was asking God to help me one more time.’
At 29, Pelé was in fact the second oldest outfield player on the squad, after defender Brito.
It is not surprising then that he played a fundamental role in the final. He put Brazil ahead early on with a typically athletic header and then took the penultimate touch on a legendary team goal, setting up Carlos Alberto to seal a 4-1 triumph.
In his final interview 52 years later, the three-time winner put his achievement in perspective.
Images of Pelé celebrating in the arms of his teammates have been broadcast around the world in recent days.
Fifty-two years after the victory, the man himself put the achievement into perspective. “The 1970 World Cup was the best moment of my life, but it was more important for my country,” he said. ‘He did more for Brazil than for football.
‘The emotion I felt more than anything else was not happiness or joy, but relief. I was relieved that my decision to return had been the right one, that we had pulled through. Now my work was complete. My World Cup journey was over and I was happy.