| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Mexxx |
Posted - May 14 2003 : 10:58:33 AM
When I enter the room I show him the Musica do Brasil CD that I produced, which has a picture of him on the cover. We chat about music and he plays me some of his compositions. After walking around the room, he returns from the CD stack system and then sits down at his desk. He then starts talking about the CD, the book and the film he has in production.Pelé: There will be the film which will come out it March, the book and a CD. Three things that I want to leave for the generations to come, for my grandchildren. Three things about Pelé that are made by Pelé himself. Its from my heart. Because I always joke with my dad, do you have a tape of the goals that you scored? He doesn't have one. Because at that time the technology didn't exist. I don't want my children in 100 years to say - hey, my dad sung, but there is no recording. So I got it into my head that I wanted to leave a memento to the new generations. That's why I want to do the book, the film and the CD.Alex Bellos: You acheived everything as a sportsman. You have now done music and films...what is there left to do?This is what I think: I learnt that you should NEVER think that you have done everything. If you think that you have done everthing in life then you are dead. There are always new things to do, I'm always looking for new messages to give. There are lots of unexplained things in life, you know, so many things.Will you ever retire?It depends. From football - no way. If I'm a hundred years old I will be wanting to train children - as long as I can walk. But in terms of adverts, commericials, I want to retire quickly. I think three years at the maximum. I think that at the next World Cup, in Germany, I will take a break, relax, I'll keep on with just a football training school, looking after children. I don't want to be a professional coach.Why?In my opinion a professional coach is like the father of the players. A father who has to look after all the family. And if he makes a mistake he affects many people. In my position I cant make a mistake. Because if a father makes a mistake here in Brazil - it's the first person they kill laughs. If the team isnt doing well, the first person they go after is the coach. But often it's the fault of the children.This football training school you talk about - will this be your own or be together with Santos?If I can carry on helping Santos, evaluating the young kids, like I did a few years ago until last year...diverges. But the idea is to do a Pelé University. A school. I had already started, we had 2 [business] groups who were possible investors, this is something that without a doubt will be my retirement.Where do you consider your home? Where do you feel most at home?My mum, she lives in Santos, right, sometimes I call her and say that I cant drop in for lunch because I'm travelling. She says - "Now your home is in a plane! You never see your family!" But, truthfully, I feel best in my home in Santos. I mean Santos-Guarujá [nearby resort town], the house of my dreams I built there.
Lets talk about England vs Brazil in the World Cup. Were you there?I was there. I saw the game. It's funny because being away from home, we really suffer. I was suffering a lot.
But it really reminded me of the England vs Brazil game in 1970, which was Brazil's most difficult game. Brazil won 1-0 and were champions. So, I thought the same thing as a comparison. Before the game I had already spoken to (Carlos Alberto) Parreira. He was also working there. I said: "Parreira, Brazil are improving now." Because Brazil werent doing that well. "But if Brazil beat England Brazil will win the World Cup. It will be Brazil's biggest test." And Brazil won the game and the tournament. The great boost, the great change for the Brazilian team was when it got the victory against England.At the beginning of the game when England scored did you think that the game was already lost?No. Because the goal was scored as the result of a mistake. It wasn't a goal scored because Brazil were playing badly, or because England was really pushing forward. The game was equal. There was a cross, the Brazilian defender didn't see the ball...and Owen is very fast. I thought - this is still the beginning of the game, there is time for Brazil to come back. I think that England's big mistake was that it began to defend a lot, staying behind the ball a lot. After that they lost the midfield battle and they werent able to get back in the game. If England, after they went 1-0 up, had continued looking for chances, attacking, it would have been more difficult for Brazil. Brazil would have got scared, they still needed to score their first goal...All of a sudden the door of the office opens and in comes Edinho, Pelé's son.He introduces us.(To Edinho) I was trying to speak to you...yesterday, the day before...we keep on missing each other...Assiria sent a present...Edinho: That's right, I wanted to say thanks,Pelé : We got a cutlery set at home, we didn't have time to bring them overMore chat about Xmas presents.Pelé: Alex, [Edinho] is doing the Brazilian motocross circuit. On TV Bandeirantes. It goes out at lunch time.Do you drive the cars?Edinho: I promote the circuit. I'm also a racer but I compete in another event.Pelé: He's not a "racer". Motocross people are mad...Edinho leavesDid you think it was more likely that England or Brazil would win?
I thought it would be a very difficult game. I told Parreira, if Brazil win, we will definitely win the Cup. Everything was working out for Brazil. Everything was starting to go right. Even in the chosing of the groups.
Brazil got three pretty easy teams, that gave the team time to train.Why did it all work out so well for Brazil in the World Cup, when at the beginning Brazil was not one of the favourites for the first time in decades.Brazil weren't doing well. I even joke that I consider myself part of the help, because it was me that chose the group in the World Cup. We got China, Costa Rica and Turkey. Turkey was the most difficult, but Brazil won time to prepare itself. The other groups were a lot more difficult. Brazil weren't that good against Turkey, you saw it was a balanced game, but afterwards Brazil sorted out its midfield. And then took off.Was Brazil the best team of the World Cup or just the luckiest team?I think that from the beginning of the second phase, Brazil were the best team. Until then they were not. Until they played England they weren't the best team. Felipáo, [Luiz Felipe Scolari] Roberto Carlos, and some other players, they were upset with me because I said that Brazil was not the favourite. I said that there were 4 teams who were better prepared. France, England, Portugal and Argentina. These four were the strongest before the Cup started. After that, the strongest were Brazil, Italy and Spain. But no one could have predicted the French disaster. They didn't win one game, they didn't score one goal. And they were held as favourites.I always say that Brazil could be the worst team but they are a team that is used to playing World Cups... Just like Italy. Italy could be playing badly but they are used to getting to the final.How did you feel when Felipáo and others said you know nothing about football?I thought it was actually quite a good thing. Because it means they are paying attention to what I say. Laughs. The fact that they say these things is because they are paying attention. So I thought it was really good. It was honest. In 45 years of my career, I have always said what I feel, and I couldn't lie to the Brazilian people. How could I be the only person to say that Brazil were favourite when they weren't?When you handed them the Cup [in Yokohama] how was it, was there bad feeling?I congratulated all of them. They didn't know [that I would present the Cup to them]. After the Cup people said a lot of things. But at the time even I didn't know that I would be invited to present the Cup. President Blatter wanted to pay tribute to Pelé and Beckenbauer. It was Germany and Brazil in the final. So he asked us both to be there. If Brazil had lost I would have given the medals for second place. No one knew that would happen. I was happy because Brazil won, but we could have lost. It could have been Beckenbauer who handed over the Cup.This new generation has now played in 3 consecutive finals. Something which your generation never did. Do you think that makes the new generation better than yours?No. You've got to win the Cup. Whats the if you get to the final and don't win. [My] generation won three finals. Laughs. We won the Jules Rimet Cup for good. To make the final or not is relative. Because the best team after 1970 was the 1982 team in Spain, of Zico, Falcao, Sócrates. This was the best team since then and it never won the Cup. Football is like that.Since your generation football has changed and the world has changed. The only constant has been Brazilian supremacy. Why?Because we are a country that produces many young players. This keeps the standard high. Now there is a new generation, whose average age is about 20, it is a generation that in three years will definitely make a great team. [Referring to players like Robinho, Diego, Kaká] There are some players who individually can unbalance the opposition. Brazil has always been lucky to have one or two players that make the difference. This is a wonderful thing. Germany,for instance, hasn't had one new player in ten years, a young player, coming up through the ranks.But why does Brazil produce these players?This country has a lot of space to play -beach, common groundîthe qualities of brazilians' bodies, with the music that we have, we find it easy to be creative in football. This team that won the world Cup - Cafu and Roberto Carlos were the oldest. All the others are younger than 25. Laughs In other words, they can play in two more World Cups. This same team! It's all a question of no problems arising with the coach. If the team is maintained, Brazil will have a very strong team [in the next few years].What do you like most about being Brazilian?I was born Brazilian!But you travel a lot. You must have some idea about what it is to be Brazilian and what you like about it.I think that Brazil was blessed by God because of the equality. Because of miscegenation, of the many races here...this brought to brazil a feeling of brotherliness. You don't have antagonisms between religions, races here...and this makes Brazil a wonderful country. In my travels I see many places, and I see that in these places man has to do many things - but in Brazil everything came ready made [such as the climate, reources, natural beauty etc]. But our politicians ruin it. Brazil's only problem is its politicians. If it wasn't for corruption in politics, without a doubt Brazil would be a paradise.Did you learn a lot when you entered politics? Was it a good experience? [He was Extraordinary Minister for Sport between 1995-1998]It was. I had a very good experience because I have faith in people. I believe in people. I believe in the human being. I love people. I will make mistakes. My entire life will always be like that because I trust a lot in people. So, I had problems, for example now in my firm [Pele Sports & Marketing] with my business partner. Taking money. We've now got our lawyers and we are proving a bunch of stuff. And in the Ministry, when President Fernando Henrique [Cardoso] asked me to help, to try to make sport more professional, I thought that I would arrive in the Ministry and clean up everything. I thought it would be just like Europe. To organise [football], to have a proper calendar, to pre-sell tickets, to have stadiums with numbered seats...when I got there I had the surprise of seeing a huge barrier [against change] - this was made up of the people in charge of football, the club bosses, most of them are linked to politicians.But thank God we managed to do something. [We managed to obtain] Free agency for players. For two years ther calander of games was fixed. But my great sadness, what left me saddest, in the three and a bit years that I was there, was that everything that I was doing I did thinking of the footballers. Thinking of the players' class. And there wasn't one movement, no one group of players in favour of me. This left me sad. Everything I was doing was to try and get free agency, to make sure they were paid, to make the rules fairer, to insist that corrupt bosses had to present their accounts in public. This was stopped by the club presidents and some [congressmen], and the players did nothing to help.Why do you think they didn't do this?I think they were scared of demanding what is theirs. Footballers are - still - slaves. It has got better a little, but in Brazil they are still slaves. They are in the hands of the club bosses. This is what I wanted to change. For example the case of the bingoes. [A controversial political iniciative involving legislation around bingo halls] Bingo halls were allowed to help sport. A part of the money that they made was supposed to go to sport. But no one passed anything to sport. Corruption. The sporting lottery was meant to pass money to junior levels of sport. But no one passed on anything. And the 'class' of players never complained. So, I think [being a politician] was a good experience but it had its problems.
You were praised by the press for your campaigns against corruption. But then two years ago you hugged Ricardo Teixeira [the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation]. Do you regret doing this?
No, no. No way. Some journalists - the radicals - thought that I shouldn't be part of that meeting. But I have nothing against Ricardo Teixeira personally.
My problem with him is the administration of Brazilian football. He is the CBF president. So at that meeting, there was...lists several Brazilian dignitiaries including ex-Fifa boss Joáo Havelange, the Sports Minister, and the president of the association of Brazil's top clubs.Why wouldn't I be part of this if I was asked to be? It was to sort out a coherent timetable for the league, to modernise Brazilian football. I went, I don't regret it and I would do it again. I have no problem about it.You are one of the only footballers who has had a successful career off the pitch. Why?I think this is a present from God. Only he can explain. It is 30 years since I stopped playing football and 10-year-old children in every place I go in the world...Korea, China, Japan...the kids shout the name 'Pelé'...it's as if Im still playing. I think it is because I always looked to respect human beings. I always speak to everyone. I always have. And in my messages in advertising, I always try to publicise good things, good for humans, good for young people, I never did cigarette advertising, I could have earned a lot of money doing that, or alcohol ads. There are many proposals that I never accepted because it would not give a positive message. So I think doing all of this maintained the name of Pelé. And another thing which I think is very important is the family. I think the support of my family and of religion. It helps footballers a lot. I had my family - thank God - always suporting me. My brother is my lawyer in my Santos office. You never see him doing interviews or being photographed. Yet he always helps, he's always there, but doesn't want to be in the spotlight. I think this counts for a lot.OK so that explains the advertising campaigns you do, but why did you get into sports marketing? That seems to have given you constant problems?I thought that for me, sports marketing would be a good thing. Something easy. Because I would carry on dealing with sport. And combine it with public relations, TV, radio, sales...but I also was in for a surprise. Because this is a business and you have to be prepared for it. I had never done sports marketing. I learnt a little in the US, at the Cosmos, but Brazil is very new to sports marketing, we are still very much behind. And I didn't have luck with my partner, of Pelé Sports & Marketing, Helio Vianna, it didn't work out.You have had lots of experiences with partners that didn't work out. Why?Because I believe in people. I always did. In Pelé Sports & Marketing, I travelled, I opened doors, and I never asked to see the accounts. I thought that I would trust in people. When I started to look into it and find out the truth that's when I started to get problems. But I will always believe in human beings. Now my son [Edinho] is helping me out. He stopped playing for Santos 2 years ago. Now I'm giving him a chance. I hope that I don't have any problems with him. Unfortunately, when you believe in people and open your heart, in business you get problems. In the US, several directors of Warner [which owned the Cosmos], told me: "Pelé, business is business, family and friends is family and friends. They are separate. Don't mix them. But I always put my heart in my business, that's why I always have problems. God willing, I'll learn.Why did you decide to do the Viagra advertising?When they asked me to do it I went to the Pfizer factory, the doctors told me about the problems of erectile dysfunction in the world. I was surprised. Because it is a lot of people. There are more than 140 million men suffering from it. They said that they would do an institutional ad speaking about Pfizer, orienting people to go to the doctor. The ads didn't mention the product. So I accepted. I thought it was an institutional thing. It was message of health for everyone, and for this I accepted it.But even though you said you do not suffer from this problem, you must be aware that Pelé advertising viagra has made you into into something of a joke. How do you react to that?I think it is stronger to do an ad when you do not have the problem and are wanting to help, rather than when you do have the problem. When you have the problem, of course you will want to help everyone else with the same problem. I always said, laughs, I have six children...Don't people tease you?Sometimes, friends call me and ask me to get them some of my little medicine. The satirical TV programme here. Casseta & Planeta, every show they always talk about "Pelé's little medicine". laughs. I think that today men arent embarrrassed any more to go to their doctors, not so worried about talking about the subject. Everyone is talking about it.I think people in the UK were shocked when Felipáo criticised you. Sometimes I think you are more loved outside of Brazil than inside.Look, this problem with Felipáo...didn't you see that he also had a problem with Ronaldo. Even with Ronaldo playing [in the World Cup], he gave an interview saying that Ronaldo was not fully fit. But I understand. Felipe is my friend. I chat to him. I spoke to him recently, thanked him for the [World Cup title]. But [during the world cup] he is with the team, the players are more or less stuck in the team hotel, and often much of the information that gets to him isn't correct. Maybe a friend of him went up and said to him that Pelé was slagging him off...it wasn't explained correctly. I said that Brazil was not the favourite [to win the World Cup]. But it wasn't just me, it was the world. No one said that Brazil was the favourite.Where do you feel most loved?This is difficult, because every place that I go to, thank God, everywhere the doors are open for me. Even in the US, where I thought because of the problem of racism ...I thought that when I went there I might have problems, but I didn't have any at all. Football is a reality [all over the world]. People speak about Pelé. But I think you are right in one thing - in Brazil because you have Palmeiras, Corinthians, Sao Paulo...not everyone supports Santos, so, maybe the Brazilian public is more demanding, some jornalists are almost too much so. When Pelé says something correct - for example, when I scored my thousandth goal I said that we had to provide education for the little children. Now everyone says that Pele was right, because if there had been more thought about providing schooling there wouldn't be so many robbers on the streets.The press thought it as weird when you spoke about the 'little children' on the thousandth goal.Exactly. For example, something more recent which is almost the same. Santos three years ago bought 5 or 6 players at the end of their playing careers - Márcio Santos, Carlos Germano, Rincon, Edmundo and Viola...I told the president, don't spend money because these players are over 30, the brazilian championship, the Sao Paulo state tournament is difficult. You need to have people who can run. I said lets invest in the youngsters. Many people thought I was just getting in the way... then Santos were broke, so they had to put in the kids who we trained there. Then Leao [the coach],who administered things well...put kids of 17,18 years and the team ended up champion [for the first time in years]. Now people say Pelé you were right. But before they criticised me. They said that I was just getting in the way. This is what Brazilians are like. Very demanding. I think because they love Pelé...I feel very happy...love and hate are very close...
The only other time I saw you in the flesh was when you started to oversee Santos' youth divisions back in 1999.
I remember then that you mentioned that you had already singled out a youngster called Robinho. [The hero of Santos's 2002 league title]Yes, We spoke to his father, his mother. That day I mentioned four players -Paulo Almeida, Luiz Henrique, Robinho and Rodrigáo...the four kids who I thought we had to invest in. Thank God it worked out. Once again people say Pelé was right all along.Have you spoken to Robinho since the victoryNot yetI need to speak to Diego, Robinho... because now is when it starts to get difficult. Now things will get tricky. When they werent that well known they had freedom to play, now they will play in the Libertadors, in Argentina, Paraguay...people already know who they are, the marking will be stronger, now they need to be well prepared.
Do you think that the game is more difficult now than it was in your day?No. I think its easier. Much much easier. Nowadays you have such a lot of preparation. You have the protection that comes
from the yellow and red cards. You have TV showing everying. People who gave kicks out of sight of the ref, cant do this any more. This is very good. Now after the yellow card the player is scared to get sent off. In my day you didn't have this. That's why I say that if I was playing nowadays I wouldn't have scored 1,200 goals, I would have scored 2,400 - double the amount. Because there is better protection.It's like when people imagine if Beethoven were alive today and wonder if he would still be good. Of course he would. If he was good then, now, with all the electronic aids available now, he'd be a lot better. No doubt about it.Do you still go and see football?Unfortunately in Brazil I stopped. But since Santos started to do well this year I started to go again. Ive even started to use my private box at Santos. It was abandoned, but I've put tiles in, because ive started to go there. In Europe I go and see football.What do you think about English football? Who are the players and the teams that you are looking at?
I think that in the last five years English football got a lot better technically speaking. There was also the happy coincidence of Beckham and [Sven Goran Erikson].
I think that in the national team he gave more freedom for players to create moves. And there have been two or three players like Beckham, who for me is an excellent player. He is good at reading the game. Owen - I was one of the first people to notice him, just like Robinho - Owen was just starting and I said that this guy was very good...pay attention to him.But why havent England managed to produce a great side?They do have a great side, its just that they don't seem to be able to win anything. Laughs. It is a serious problem. The Spanish also have this problem. We always have a good team with good players but when we get to the Cup...They need Pele's little medicine...Exactly...Here in Latin America we have Colombia which is more or less the same thing as Spain. Not like England, which has won the Cup already, but Colombia sometimes produces many, many great players, makes a fantastic national side, but when they get to the Cup they have problems. It is difficult to explain.When I was researching my book I was given this foto, which is the last time that you were together with Garrincha. Can you talk about this moment. [The picture was taken in Pelé's flat in Rio and has the two stars playing guitar together]I never liked to play cards. So during World Cups I used to learn how to play guitar. Garrincha could already play the cavaquinho [small Brazilian guitar]. He's a little bit older than me, so we would sit there, hanging out, I was trying to learn how to play guitar and this is why I was always with Garrincha. The first time I went on a trip was with Zito and Tite, who were from Santos, they had a guitar, sometimes Tite played in the local bars at night, he started to teach me, he said it's the best pastime...If there was any one player who was the Garrincha of Europe, that player was George Best. He was the same type of player as Garrincha. Although he could play on the left and the right, whereas Garrincha could only play on the right. But George Best, it's a real shame, the talent that he had and what happened to him because of [drink]...How do you remember Garrincha?
There is something very funny about this. We had a good freindship. We were always together when the national team was together. But because I lived in Santos and he lived in Rio,
when the national team wasn't together, we werent friends. We didn't go out. We would hardly ever see each other. Sometimes Botafogo and Santos went to do tours together and then I would hang out with him, but outsuide the national team he would be in Rio and I would be here. I didn't have the type of freindship with him of going out for lunch, dinner...Who are your best friends from football?Thank God I am friends with almost everyone. Of the foreigners, there's Beckenbauer, Bobby Charlton, I'm always with him, going out with him. Bellini, Gilmar, Zito. Djalma Santos, although its been a while since ive seen him. Nilton Santos is a great friend, Zagallo, Gerson, Rivellino...of the younger ones, Falcáo...Felix, the goalie, kind of a crazy guy, he is in charge of a car showroom I think, in santos Pepe, Zito, Clodoaldo...
Do you think there is racism in Brazil? Has it changed? How have you coped with racism?There's a funny story. Brazilians are not like Americans, because of their education. America had segregation. Brazil never had this. Brazil has a huge social problem. But if you are rich - of any colour - the doors are open for you. But in the US it wasn't like that. Here [racism] is hidden. It is a social, hidden racism. But I like to say that I have never had a problem with racism in the entire world. But there is a funny story. When I played my first World Cup, I was a kid, 16/17 years old. I noticed that the other teams didn't have one black person. I would ask - why don't the other teams have blacks in them? I think that since then, Pelé, after his travels around the world, was a great 'door-opener' in a social way, for racial integration for black people. Because nowadays you see black people in every team in the world. Every team has a black player. You didn't see that before. I think the space that black people have in football nowadays is a lot down to Pelé, without a doubt,because of the example, because thank God, Ive never been in a scandal, to bring shame on the race or on my career, with drugs, that unfortunatley happened with Maradona, who got involved in drugs...But there was a scandal, of the daughter that you didn't recognise.There was a misunderstanding in the press. Another thing about the Brazilians, instead of trying to discover the truth, just go out there and start spreading the story. When she appeared, saying she is my daughter, no one knew who she was. But I spoke to her. My sister went to see her. So I decided to do the DNA test. But we decided to do it just us. I think she was badly advised. She wanted to be a politician. She started to say things in the press, but she didn't say that we already had done the DNA and I had already given her my name. She didn't tell this to anyone. She went to court asking for money, the lawyer wanted money, but didn't tell this to anyone, the press didn't know this.I have another one, Flavia from Porto Alegre. The same thing happened.But he says that they did it properly....He shows me a picture of him with his youngest song Joshua.He is five years old, almost six. He likes to play...but I think that it is premature to say if he will be a footballer. He's got the style, he loves playing...With Edinho it was different. He was brought up in New York. At school he played more baseball, he was considered one of the best at baseball rather than football. I didn't expect anything. Then he started playing in the school team, he played well, came to Santos to train, everyone liked him, stayed there for five years, was runner up in the brazilian championship. I never expected anything. It happened naturally. You have to let these things happen naturally.But its very difficult saying things about 'Pelé's Son'...We start to talk about Assiria, his wife, and her musical career.Assiria sings gospel music. She's just got a deal with [record label] Som Livre. She will come out with a new CD. She's got a good voice and a sensibility.Did your religion change after you met Assiria?[She is a born-again evangelical. He is Catholic]People always ask if I stopped being Catholic to be evangelical, baptist. No. The Baptist and the Catholic churhces are very similar. The only difference is that the baptist doesn't believe in saints. Every now and again I used to joke with Assiria that my mum, when I was young, used to ask for Our Lady of Aparecida [the Patron Saint of Brazil] to look after me. Our Lady, Saint Benedict, to look after Pelé. He looked after me so well that how can I not believe in him?Says story of when baptised kids they had one priest from each religion.Do you do anything related to afro-brasilian religions?No. I used to wear white a lot, at the end of the year, but without any fanatical thoughts about it...when I used to travel, whenever I got to Bahia, all the pai-de-santos [afro-brazilian priests and priestesses] wanted to see Pelé. I would see everyone. When I went to Italy I went to see the Pope. When I went to Spain, often there were palm-readers, everyone wants to read my hand...I never thought that much about this. My goal is God. A superior being, I think its very important to have this believe.What was the most special moment in your life?
I have had many special moments. Perhaps the birth of my children. That's a very emotional moment. When I won the World Cup for the third time in Mexico, to be the only player to win three cups.
It was marvelous. But the first World Cup, in Sweden, when I was completely inexpeirenced, I can remember clearly even now, it was absurd since my family was Catholic and arriving there in Hindas in Sweden, it was summer and on the lakes nearby there were women bathing topless. I thought, Oh My God, this is sin. I tried not to look because I thought that God would punish me. I said I'll llook, no I cant look...laughs.Do you think you are the most famous person in the world?My friends always joke about this, and research has proved that Pelé is the best-known name in the world, of the names that are not linked to religion...they say that after Pelé the next most famous name is Coca Cola. But Coca Cola advertises. A lot.So do you!But I don't advertise Pelé. I don't speak about Pelé. It happened naturally. And at the time I went travelling around the world there wasn't TV. Now a footballer plays one game and he is on TV all over the world. At that time Pelé went to China, Asia, Africa, Europe. Pelé went because Santos went. That's how I got known. Nowadays it is much more easy. But now you can disappear just as fast too. But Pelé, Coca-Cola, Jesus, the Pope, these are the best known names in the world and the research always says so. That Mastercard made, Coca-cola.How does it feel to be so famous? What do you think when you look at yourself in the mirror?Some times this is something that I ask God. This is something that often there is no answer to. When I go to bed, I ask God - why? Why Pelé?It was not a nickname I wanted as a child. My family called me Dico, my mates in the street called me Edson. When they started to call me Pelé I didn't want them to. I thought it was a rubbish name. Now you even see it in the Bible. In Hebrew Pele means miracle. A theologian discovered this, and then told us. Which means, its there in the Bible. Sometimes I ask Jesus, "Man, Explain to me." I know I will die like everyone. We're just waiting for the hour. These things,this lack of explanations, make us curious, often I don't have the answer. Only God knows.My family went to New York today. Asks secretary to call family in NY to see if they arrived.How much do you travel? Every other day you are in a plane...I didn't expect this. I thought that when I stopped playing football, that I would relax. I've got a piece of land with some cattle and pigs. I thought id spend some time there but then I started to travel, travel, travelTakes call, speaks to children and wife.Hi daughter, good trip? Is your mum there? Is it really cold there? Is there snow yet?Why will you spend Xmas in New York?My wife was brought up there,studied there, and my children have never seen snow. So we thought - lets go and show snow to the kids.Speaks to Joshua...Every other day you are in a plane...On average every other day. But sometimes I don't go on one for a week. And now you have something that you didn't before.You have tournaments in China. In Japan. Everyone is doing it. Now we are doing a tournament in Korea. Now you cant say that you can't go because there are no flights. There are flights to everywhere all the time.Why do you do all of this? Why don't you stay at your country home and relax, look after your cattle?I don't think id be able to do it. My idea is to do this for three more years, until the World Cup in Germany. But I don't know if I will be able to do nothing. I think my real passtime will be the football training school. Sometimes I go to my farm, we've got a fish project there, fishing, so I go there and fish for a week...after a week im already tired of doing nothing. So,I don't know, I think ill spend my time with kids, football...Do you think with only four South American teams qualifying for the world cup Brazil will have difficulty qualifying?I think it will be difficult for everyone. Brazil never had to play a play-off, but Argentina once had to play against Australia.Do you think Brazil will ever fail to qualify for a World Cup in your lifetime?I think that's impossible. I cant imagine that.What was the moment that changed the England-Brazil match in the World Cup in Brazil's favour?I don't think it was a moment. I think it was one player. When Kleberson came on. I think that this kid changed the game. It was his best match. He was a player who came on, there wasn't much expectation, he is young, he had never really played for the national team before. But he came on and completely changed Brazil.Who played well in this match?
Roberto Carlos played well. But Kleberson was the best. Ronaldinho decided the game. I think he wanted to score that goal. I think he was aware of wanting to do it, without a doubt.
But the team with Kleberson started to play really well.Who are the players you think are the best now?The same ones I saw in the Cup. Zidane is still playing well, Rivaldo is still playing well. Figo...the 2 englishmen, Owen, Beckham...theres not been much change among the best players.How would you feel if Ronaldo broke your record of goals scored in World Cups?Silence. I hope that whenever he breaks a record that Brazil ends up champion, if that's the case he can break all of Pelé's records. Laughs. SilenceHow would you describe yourself?Pelé? I think Pelé is a thing that God made and that's about it...Pelé scored just as many headed goals as goals with his left foot, as his right foot, in movement...he plays well in attack and in defence. He was a complete player.Do you still mess around with a ball?Every now and again but I don't have much time. Another thing that I always say is that there will never be anyone equal Pelé. Maybe there will be someone better, but no one equal. Because Seu Dondinho and Dona Celeste [his paents] closed down the factory. Everyone is always looking for the new Pelé, but there's not going to be one. After the film comes out next year, many young kids who say they never saw Pelé play...Even I saw things in the film that I couldn't remember or didn't know. Dribbles, moves. There is a section about headed goals, a section about goals from left leg, section about goals in movement, goals from fouls...I didn't remember all of this. Pelé was also a good keeper. He played five or six times in goal. This thing about looking for a new Michaelangelo, a new Beethoven...thats tricky..Whats the question that no one has asked you before?I think you just asked it!...laughs...no one has asked me that before...I think no one has ever asked me if I was scared of death.And do you?No. laughs. I think weve got to be prepared for this.How would you describe Edson?I know that Edson is mortal. He is without a doubt someone that the public doesn't know very well. He's the person who looks after the Pelé myth. With religion, with manners, with respect, with love for his neighbours...but Pelé is immortal, he's a legend. Pelé is talked about all over the world. Edson keeps this all together.What makes you depressed or are you always happy?Sometimes I get sad about the Brazilian government's administration. Brazil's biggest problems, about poverty, lack of education, is because of the money that the politicians robbed. Brazil has a great climate all year round, the land is good, there are minerals...all our problems stem from the fact that man, the politicians, stole everything. This leaves me sad. And we see the difficulties in changing all of this. This leaves me sadder and sadder.Do you think you managed to change anything?At least I put lots of pressure, and I will carry one working to try to change this. I think things are getting better, but still the main problem about poverty is political corruption...Música De Futebol CD
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