Falcão says Pelé asked to train in 1990

The current soccer coordinator at Santos, former player Paulo Roberto Falcão, 69, recalled a remarkable personal passage involving Pelé in 1990, when he was in charge of the Brazilian national team. He arrived at the wake of the King of football, which takes place from 10 am (Brasília time) this Monday (2), accompanied by coach Odair Hellmann,

“I don’t need to talk about the ability to understand things, to play football, but the way he was humble and how he related to people. I always say with pride that I was his last coach”, began the manager.

The King of football surprised Falcão during a festive game for his 50th birthday, celebrated with a symbolic match against a team from the rest of the world, on October 31 of that year. Pelé, on the occasion, showed up for training the day before.

“He went to train. It was a festive game, but he showed up to train calling me a teacher. I said: ‘I’m not a teacher at all’. I’m just going to hire Pelé and he’ll hire whoever he wants here”, he said.

The game ended 2-1 for the international team, which had two Brazilians –defender Júlio Cesar and midfielder Alemão–, as well as players like Michel, Marco van Basten, Hagi, Stoichkov and others. The team’s only goal was scored by former midfielder Neto.

Coach Odair Hellmann, in turn, said he grew up listening to stories about the King of football from his father, from Santos. He was hired at the beginning of last month.

“I got to know football through my father, who was from Santos. He spoke about Pelé to me. I had the dream my whole life of meeting Pelé in person, I didn’t succeed. I wanted fate to come to Vila at this moment”, he said. .

“The whole world knows who Pelé is, so there is a lot of responsibility to talk about this legacy, to show who he was, the greatest of all. I come to say goodbye to Edson Arantes do Nascimento and ask for his blessing for our journey this year. Pelé, Pelé’s light will illuminate the young people and all of us who are here”, he said.

Santos returned for the pre-season on December 20th. The club will travel this Tuesday (3) to Atibaia as part of the schedule.