31/12/2022
Pele: A Tribute
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I have lived in 2 worlds, developed and underdeveloped. I have transcended 2 generations, Millenias and Gen-whatever...
That is the reason why I find it sacrilegious and blasphemous to read opinions and arguments from the younger generations, about Pele, and his status and place in World Football. They even have the audacity and temerity to declare Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi as more deserving of the title GOAT. Therein lies the disconnect between the world I grew up in, and this present one.
Two totally different worlds, which shape our worldview, and hence our perspective of what ought to constitute, and determine who the GOAT football player is. But because Geography is different from History, I will narrow everything down to the ‘impact’ of these Players on the religion called football... Pele was the first global superstar to transcend his sport. He appeared in Movies, was splashed on the cover of every major newspapers, he plays the Guitar and even released a music album!
In the time of Pele, there were no social media... no Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, whatever... yet a footballer who NEVER played in any of the major European leagues won 3 World Cups. In that time, football was pure Art, not the the Science Fiction we now watch. Pele won the world cup as a teenager, without being injected with growth hormones like Messi, or overworking himself in the Gym like Ronaldo... HE JUST PUT ON HIS BOOTS AND PLAYED MESMERISING FOOTBALL!
Back in our day, there was always one and only clear, known, confirmed and indisputable ‘King’ of anything. The ‘King’ of Boxing was Muhammad Ali, the King of Reggae was Bob Marley, King of Pop was Michael Jackson, Basketball had Michael Jordan, Afrobeat had Fela, and so on. These days it is Cristiano vs Messi, Federer vs Nadal, Hamilton vs Verstappen, etc. IT WAS PELE Vs NOBODY... HE WAS SIMPLY THE KING OF FOOTBALL.
The first time ever that the entire World jointly ‘Worshipped’ a Sportsman