The Man Who Stopped A War With A Ball

by Steve Amoia
Article Assignment  

Please note: This short story was written for a children's audience many years ago.

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Do you know who has the most recognizable face and name in the world? President Bush? No, try again! Mr. Rogers? Good guess, but that is not the right answer either. The correct response is Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Luckily for the rest of the world, when Edson was a young boy growing up in Brazil, his friends presented him with a nickname that was much easier to say and remember: Pelé. A simple name for a very complex man.

Pelé became famous in the sport of soccer, or futebol, as it is called in his native Brazil, which is a vast tropical country located in South America. Of his many accomplishments, which included being declared a national treasure and leading Brazil to three World Cup titles, perhaps the most striking occurred in the western African nation of Nigeria. During a tour with his club team, Santos Football Club, Pelé visited Nigeria, which was in the midst of the Biafran Civil War. Pelé was so popular that leaders of the rival groups decided to call a two day truce, which meant that the war stopped for a few days so that the two sides could watch Pelé play! In addition to Nigeria, Pelé competed in eighty-seven other countries.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born into a poor, but caring family on October 23, 1940. The city of his birth is called Três Corações, which means Three Hearts in Portuguese. While growing up, young Edson's passion for soccer was fueled in great part by his father, who was a professional player. In addition to going to school and playing soccer (often with a ball of rolled-up socks), Edson helped his family by shining shoes at the local railroad station, since athletes like his father did not earn as much money as today's players do.

The origin of the name of Pelé is an interesting tale. When Edson was about ten years old, a few of his teammates began to address him as "Pelé." Initially, Edson did not like the name, which lead to a few fights with friends! But as time passed, he accepted his new nickname, for it became associated with his exploits on the soccer field.

The name itself really does not have an equivalent in Portuguese, or in any other language. Pe in Portuguese means foot. The word pelada means games. So perhaps that is where the name originated. Pelé himself believes that the name was given to him by Turkish men who used to watch him play, for whenever he would touch the ball with his hands, they would yell out "Pelé ... Pelé" which perhaps meant stupid in Turkish. Obviously, Pelé learned not to touch the ball!

When Pelé was fifteen years old, a scout from the coastal team of Santos watched him play during a juvenile tournament. Although Pelé was physically small and quite skinny, the scout noticed a fierce determination and excellent ball control skills, so he decided to offer him a contract. Pelé moved from his small village to the sprawling city of Santos, which is near Rio de Janiero. During his first year, Pelé trained with the professional club, but he was only allowed to participate in games that involved the juvenile and junior teams that were a part of the Santos organization. After several months, the coach of the professional team decided to test the skinny boy versus real competition. During his first league game, the cry of "Goal Pelé!" was heard for the first of nearly 1,300 times during a fascinating twenty year career.

In 1958, at the tender age of seventeen, Pelé became a household word as he led the Brazilian National Team to its initial triumph in the World Cup games, which took place in Sweden. The World Cup is a tournament whereby twenty-four teams* vie for the title of world champion. The competition is held once every four years; consequently, it is the most important and widely followed event in soccer.

Pelé and his teammates returned to Brazil as conquering heroes. Pelé, who had experienced fame at a young age, in the years to follow, continued to grow as a soccer player, and more importantly, as a person. Santos began to showcase their new star on ambitious tours, which would see the club play all over the world, and expose a naturally curious Pelé to various cultures and different ways of life.

With the help of Pelé, Brazil won the World Cup in 1962, and again in 1970. The last triumph was unprecedented, for no nation had ever won the World Cup three times! After 1970, Pelé retired from international matches, and in 1973, he ceased active competition for his one and only club side, Santos. When Pelé retired, he divided his time between his wife, Rosemeri, and their two children, along with his business affairs. Although he was idolized by children and adults alike all over the world, he believed that perhaps his work in soccer had yet to be completed.

In 1975, after a two year retirement, Pelé came to the United States to play for the New York Cosmos. Many Brazilians were upset that Pelé opted to play for an unknown foreign club; however, Pelé explained that the United States was the only country in the world where soccer was not yet a major sport. Pelé wanted to become an ambassador of the game, so that American children would discover the joys of the sport.

* The World Cup has been expanded to 32 teams. With the exception of the host country, all teams must qualify. In years past, the defending champion was also given an automatic place. Pelé is the only player to win three World Cup titles.

His autobiography: Pelé, My Life and the Beautiful Game.

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