Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Pele-Santos-Beckham


January 29, 2007

Last night I saw Santos play in the “House that Pele Built” - my original name for “Vila Belmiro”. Santos defeated Guaratingueta 1-0 on some brilliance by Brazilian international Ze Roberto. It was over 30 years ago when I last saw Santos play as toured the US and played at RFK stadium. I don’t remember much about the game – other than the magical Brazilians led by the world’s greatest player in their White jerseys with diagonal black stripe (the same as they still wear). It was not many years later that Pele came to the NY Cosmos and changed the landscape of soccer in the United States forever.

On the drive up the mountain from Santos back to the hotel in Sao Paulo I couldn’t help but think that were it not for Pele very few of us may be able to have full time careers in this great game. I also started thinking what a mistake it would be to think that the MLS’s signing of David Beckham could possibly have anywhere near the same effect. A positive effect – for sure as he is a great player in his own right. However, Beckham certainly does not have the magic that awes us as did Pele (other than an occasional free kick!)

He does bring the international spotlight on US domestic soccer, and he may even be opening the door for other world stars to join our league under the new “Beckham rule”. However, he may be a disappointment as he lacks the flair that would draw and keep new fans. Hopefully, we can take full advantage of the fact that he is an ultimate professional, and will take the league seriously- unlike some previous mega-stars who came over… remember Lothar Mathias??? Thankfully most of us forget that he played in the MLS.

Hopefully someday I will leave Old Trafford and have similar thoughts about Beckham as I did about Pele – but I doubt it. There will only ever be one King.

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