King of soccer & the cup of life

It’s okay, Dad. One day, I promise, I’ll win the World Cup for you.”— Nine-year-old Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, aka “Pele” to his father, Joao Ramos do Nascomento “Dondinho”… shortly after Brazil’s 2-1 loss to Uruguay, 1950. It begins in the streets of little Bauru, in an impoverished province of Brazil, “much before cars or paved roads”.

This is the story of a young boy’s dream, a father’s personal tragedy, a mother’s fears and the family’s hunger. It starts at a time when the ball itself was “made out of the neighbours’ socks”; when the family clothed the young by stitching together discarded wheat sacks and when the only meal of the day was a loaf of bread and a sliced banana.

Pele: Why Soccer Matters is a sparkling gemstone for those who love football. And for those who want to claim that the game is probably the only one with a soul, the book is a supernova. Because it bursts into a thousand images in your head, into a million sensations and at its core… the unparalleled, pulsating, driving force that is a son’s promise to his father.

At the outset, congratulations to co-writer Brian Winter (Long After Midnight at the Nino Bien: A Yanqui’s Missteps in Argentina and The Accidental President of Brazil: A Memoir) for the fabulous effect the book will inadvertently have even on those who prefer, well… games with crotch guards.

Winter has managed to preserve the child, the teenager and the man all through a fantastic journey — there’s absolutely no loss of ‘human’ even when world politics is discussed. Or perhaps, it all comes down to Pele’s incredibly vivid memories. The book is split between five World Cups from Brazil 1950 and back again to 2014 — all the while offering delicious little nuggets.

For example, the reader will learn about Pele’s “deformed” colleague Garrincha, who left the cold, calculating Soviets astounded with his odd footwork and near-magical dribbling. In fact, Pele and Garrincha were Brazil’s secret weapons which the team hid from a Soviet spy.

Then, there are the Swedes and their very “forward women”. Pele remembers the gorgeous Ilena and a meeting with her again two decades later. Such memories will keep the reader turning pages after pages. It’s the world according to a young Brazilian boy, who didn’t speak a word of English but managed to hold the Queen’s interest. Who once polished shoes only to go ahead and kick a ball towards Bill Clinton!

Pele’s journey is a no-holds barred struggle to attain a quality few have even believed in — humility. The book is such a rare gem. Because who would you like to learn from, about the world? From a teacher who’s waiting for the clock to strike five or hear it all from the man who shaped a generation. No doubt then, Pele: Why Soccer Matters makes for essential reading.

There’s a certain quality about this book, an ability to induce a smile even when all seems to be lost. And after that 7-1 spanking by Germany on Tuesday, Brazil could certainly use bits from Pele’s pages to guide themselves out of despair.