Pelé, the essence of Brazilian soccer

Pelé is the very essence of Brazilian soccer. It was with him and the admirable 1958 team that we put aside a certain inferiority complex and started to be admired by the world. It was a provincial time, of isolated continents. With Pelé we won the third world championship and started to be respected with the precious help of a generation of soccer stars. Especially Garrincha, who was a great leader in 1962, in Pelé's absence.

And then came the time when in many places in the world, even in a small village in China, Pelé's name became better known than Brazil's, as if he were an authentic king. Those were times of simplicity in which there were not dozens of assistants around the stars.

Pelé has always been celebrated and respected, even when he stopped playing, for his elegance, personality, and for always being recognized as the greatest player in history. His magical plays in the 1970 World Cup will always be in our memory, a privilege for those who watched him live.

Pelé was the greatest of the greatest, even greater than great Messi, Maradona, Zidane, and Ronaldo. Maybe only in Brazil there are those who criticize him for facts of his personal life. But perfection does not exist, even for a king. And Pelé, who gave us so much joy, will not lose his majesty, wherever he might be.