He came, he saw, he conquered, he scored four here, and now he’s left. Pelé was the greatest soccer (a/k/a futebol) player ever. You might quibble about Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona, Cruyff, or others, but no one did more for the sport and bringing the world together than did Brazil’s Edson Arantes do Nascimento, who passed away on December 29. Many 1960s kids wanted to like Pelé long before anyone wanted to be like Mike (Jordan)… or LeBron.
He played at a level that no one had ever seen before… literally. His contests with home squad Santos were available only via radio, thus his larger-than-life legend grew, as did his goal-tallying sheet. The only man to ever play on three World Cup winning teams (for native Brazil), Pelé was revered as he simply displayed his not-so-simple gifts with grace and purpose. Allegedly, a Nigerian civil war cease-fire was declared for 48-hours when Pelé came to play there in 1969. Back in 1961, Brazil’s military government brazenly declared him a “national treasure” so he wouldn’t ever leave Santos to play overseas in his prime.
And… he played here twice. In April, 1976, 21,705 fans witnessed the Aloha Soccer Festival, and Pelé didn’t disappoint- scoring four times as his New York Cosmos (of the nascent North American Soccer League) rolled over Japan’s Team Honda, 5-0. He returned to Aloha Stadium in mid-1977, during the lone, local season of Hawai`i’s NASL squad. 12,877 watched as his Cosmos squeaked by Team Hawai`i, 2-1.
Pelé’s global humanitarian efforts against racism, for UNICEF and other noteworthy causes were acknowledged by everyone from Hawai`i Governor George Ariyoshi (who presented him with an award preceding that 1976 tournament here) to Nelson Mandela and the Queen of England. He won the International Peace Prize in 1978, and while not as outspoken as his contemporary sports icon, Muhammed Ali, Pelé was never shy when asked about the rampant racism he encountered as a youth and into his playing days as a global ambassador. Like Ali, he provided a new hope and brought pride to tens of millions worldwide, including disadvantaged, dark-skinned youth… all with a smile.
We’re lucky that Pelé showcased his joyous demeanor, aloha, and unmatched soccer skills here twice. Soccer (in his book, it’s called the “beautiful game”) is the earth’s most popular sport (not pickleball) and Pelé evolved it in so many ways. Obrigado!
Think about it…