Of course, he endured much criticism for not standing up to the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil for nearly two decades, from 1964 until Brazil’s victory in 1970.
In the documentary, Brazilian journalist Paulo Cesar Vasconcelos said, “Many people see what he does off the pitch more than what he does on the pitch.” Outwardly, he is characterized by political neutrality, which at that moment in history worked against him.”
But not all high-profile athletes have to be sparks. And it would be a mistake to pass judgment on Pele without recognizing Brazil’s deep history and how that particular culture has shaped and humbled black citizens over the centuries.
He was no ant. Being Pele was a feat enough to move the world forward. Black athletes who have inspired passions in the depths of their souls in nearly every corner of the world. Not only do black athletes dominate, they bring breathtaking beauty to the pitch, but they become the mold against which all other athletes are compared.
Let’s move on.
Fatefully, in this year’s World Cup championship match defeat, France’s Mbappe scored a hat-trick, won the Golden Boot Award, and was recognized as the tournament’s top scorer. , fast as Pele, with a touch that feels like Pele and agility and audacity, Mbappe continues to evolve.
In sports, greatness is transposed, sometimes refined, from player to player, from era to era. And in football, the greats of each generation, each Mbappe and Messi, each Marta and Abby Wambach, each Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo, each graceful genius playing the beautiful game of the future, is unique. It is made in the mold of Pele. .