Soccer players and fans across the globe, including here in Massachusetts, are remembering soccer legend Pelé, who died on Thursday at age 82.
Pelé's impact on generations of soccer players was profound, but he was equally beloved by the Brazilian community.
“He gave us identity, Brazilian identity. As a Black man, that was so important for the country. A hero," said Heloisa Galvão, co-founder and executive director of Brazilian Women's Group in Brighton. She added, "I think maybe for the first time we Brazilians saw a Black person, we didn’t maybe try to whiten him.”
Galvão described the soccer great as a national treasure, and she was glad to share his talents with family. Galvão said she watched recordings of Pelé's World Cup games with her grandson over Thanksgiving, and the two cried together after learning of Pelé's death this week.
"We want him to live forever, and he will," Galvão said. "He lives forever. I mean, his body may be dead, but his memory, what he meant and what he did, it's alive and it will never die."
Benedicto Fonseca, Brazil's consul general in Boston, said Pelé was the best ambassador Brazil could have, and said he was "larger than life itself."
"He was a reference for people living abroad and a good reference," Fonseca told GBH News, "so we are all very sorry about his passing, and we'd like to honor him."
Pelé's techniques on the field and his fast, fluid movements were often described as mesmerizing, and he is credited by many for revolutionizing the sport. He holds numerous records, too, including being the only three-time World Cup champion and one of only two teenagers to ever score a goal in a World Cup final. He also contributed to the rise in soccer's popularity in the United States when he played for the New York Cosmos in the 1970s.
Nadia Sussman, who is a soccer coach, player and secretary of the Massachusetts Adult State Soccer Association, said she's been a Pelé fan since she was 5 years old. Sussman is always #10 on the field — Pelé's number.
"If you look at other famous soccer athletes, not everyone of them used their fame towards the rest of humanity, and I feel like Pelé was respectful, he was kind," Sussman said, describing the soccer great as humble and inspirational.
Pelé even left a lasting mark on those who were born after his career had ended.
Nick Giannino, sports writer with Salem News, said, "Although I never had the chance to watch him during his playing career, Pelé was a household name and one of those unique athletes that everyone knew, even if you weren’t a soccer fan."
He added, "His impact on the game is unmatched, and his greatness will continue to inspire young athletes for generations to come. A true legend in every sense of the word, the world will truly miss Pelé.”
