Remembering Pelé’s legacy and global impact on soccer

Judy Woodruff:

Soccer fans around the world are in mourning tonight over the news that the Brazilian soccer legend Pelé died today. He was the face of the global game for decades and helped to shape soccer into what's known as the beautiful game.

Laura Barrón-López has this look back at his legacy.

Laura Barrón-López:

The paralleled athlete and only player to have ever won three World Cups died at a hospital in Sao Paulo with his family by his side.

His daughter recently shared this image on social media captioned: "Another night together," holding on to precious last moments with her father.

Pelé had been hospitalized since the end of November, receiving care for colon cancer that doctors say had advanced in the last week, as well as a respiratory infection that stemmed from COVID-19. In addition to the World Cups he won in 1958, 1962, and 1970, Pelé will be remembered as the most prolific scorer the game has ever known.

He boasts two Guinness world records, including for his nearly 1,300 career goals. And his 77 goals in just over 90 international matches is a record achievement for the Brazilian national team. Above all, Pelé will remain an indelible icon and perhaps the sport's greatest ambassador.

Outside the hospital and all across Brazil, legions of fans have gathered in the streets in solemn vigil in recent days to pay their respects. And, at the latest World Cup, many more spoke of what he meant to Brazil, to the game, and to the world.

Speaker:

Pelé represents what we are, where we came from. Pelé is our roots. It's what we are today. It's thanks to him.

Laura Barrón-López:

Pelé was 82 years old.

Some further perspective now on Pelé and his impact.

J.J. Devaney is the co-host of the soccer podcast "Caught Offside."

J.J., thanks for joining the "NewsHour."

I wanted to ask you. Pelé is known as the king of soccer. But, for contemporary fans, they may not always know his impact on the sport. How can they see his legacy and potentially some of his signature moves on the field today?

J.J. Devaney, Co-Host, "Caught Offside": Well, it's funny you mention that.

I was watching a TikTok today that compared Pelé's signature moves and how he did a lot of what the modern players are doing right now way before they even did it. So, he was an iconic player. He was a player who brought this beautiful game to the masses, and particularly in the 1970 World Cup, which was the first World Cup with a big television scope across the globe.

And, I mean, you ask anybody who's a soccer fan, they will still know who Pelé is, even if they never saw him play, people like me.

Laura Barrón-López:

In all, Pelé won three World Cups. No other player has done that.

And detractors say that he — the game was slower then. You have said that it was actually rougher then. So does that — all of that taken together elevate him to be one of the greatest in the world?

J.J. Devaney:

Yes, it's very difficult to compare eras, and it's almost not fair.

But I would say, in terms of skill and the ability and the attacking prowess that he had, he could have played in any era. And in the modern era, he would have had the benefits of tougher referees, a less brutal game. I don't think it's fair to compare eras, but if you look at his skill during those iconic matches, his goal against Sweden as a 17-year-old in his first World Cup in 1958 was absolutely stunning in the final, where he flicks it over a player, goes around and scores on the far side.

Those are timeless, timeless moves, and something that inspired generations afterwards.

Laura Barrón-López:

He also off the field was seen as this global ambassador of the game, something that he did for decades.

Can you talk about his appeal and how he helped spread soccer in the U.S. and elsewhere?

J.J. Devaney:

Well, yes, he — I interviewed him in 2016. And he told me about how he had retired from the game and he spoke to Henry Kissinger in Brazil, who persuaded him to come to the NASL, the North American Soccer League, to the New York Cosmos.

And that had a profound effect. OK, it didn't have an effect on soccer becoming a major professional sport at that moment in the United States, but it inspired people who saw him throughout his time in the U.S. And, also, he became almost a global ambassador for the game.

Wherever there was a World Cup, wherever there was a big game, you saw Pelé promoting the game. He was a regular visitor to the White House as well under three or four different administrations. Pelé was there promoting charities, but also promoting the game of soccer.

He became synonymous with soccer. Whether you knew a little about the game, nothing about the game, or a lot about the game, Pelé was the face of the World Cup and of soccer, not just Brazilian soccer.

Laura Barrón-López:

And one unique thing about his career is that Pelé didn't — he did not go on to play in European clubs for more money.

And he toured with the Brazilian team in exhibition matches. Why did he do this? Did it simply come down to the fact that he was deeply connected to Brazil?

J.J. Devaney:

That was part of it, but, also, the Brazilian government at the time, in the early '60s, seeing what an amazing player they had from the '58 World Cup, they decided that they would put almost a national treasure order on him, meaning he couldn't be taken abroad by other player — by other clubs, other richer clubs, maybe in the European game.

He toured with Santos for years, and played a lot of games and exhibition matches. So that kind of spread the profile — spread his profile. But when I spoke to him in 2016, he said there was a lot of interest from Juventus, from Real Madrid towards the end of his career, but he couldn't leave because the Brazilian government didn't want him to, but also because he didn't want to.

Laura Barrón-López:

When you interviewed him in 2016, is there something that particularly stood out to you about his personality?

J.J. Devaney:

His warmth. He took my hand at the start of the interview, because he knew I was a little bit overawed by his presence.

But he had a deep, warm voice. He had a charisma. He was at that point a granddad-style figure, but he still had an aura and a strength and a presence around him. And as humble as he was, he also knew he was great. And that struck me.

Laura Barrón-López:

Can you also tell us about his relationship with Brazilian players and, in particular, Neymar, someone who as — as you have said, it's difficult to compare eras, but how exactly did they bond when — as Neymar has been playing?

J.J. Devaney:

Well, if you just look at contemporary players, like the great players we talk about today, Kylian Mbappe, about their — the wonderful tributes that they paid, they recognize Pelé as the first global soccer star, the — a player who transcended all sports.

I think his relationship with Brazilian soccer players, if Pelé said something down the decades, it was listened to, and it carried great weight. He spoke to me about Neymar in 2016, and he said that there was maybe only two or three really great players in the world, whereas, when he played, he thought there were many, many more.

So he had a high regard for Neymar. If — I think Pelé liked to consider himself the best of the best, and that no Brazilian player, really, since he played came close.

Laura Barrón-López:

Pelé's career was truly transcendent.

J.J. Devaney, thank you for your time.

J.J. Devaney:

Good to be with you, Laura.