Since the death of the Brazilian football star, fans have been in the city of his historic club, FC Santos, to cultivate his memory.
by Jean-Claude Gerez (Santos [State of Sao Paulo], Special Envoy)
Carlos Eduardo Fernandes readily admits it: to work at Padoca Santista, the establishment he opened in 1990 in Santos, in the state of Sao Paulo, the most important is not to know how to serve Cafés or pastels filled with meat appearing on the lean menu. “Above all, you have to be an unconditional fan of FC Santos. First because I am myself. But especially because customers here only talk about football, club and Pelé.”
“Carlinhos”, 69, had been a friend for more than twenty years of the Brazilian football legend, who died Thursday, December 29, 2022 at the age of 82. “As his mother lived a long time a stone’s throw from here, Pelé sometimes stopped drinking coffee and chatting. He laughed to see the walls covered with posters of him and the various teams of the club. He was humble and accessible, patient With all the people who came to speak to him, tell him a memory of a match or a goal. He was rather stingy with words but he always had a nice word for everyone. Pelé, that was: a legend that has never forgotten His roots, faithful in friendship and the club which made him the “king”. “
Carlos Pierin, says Lala, has known Pelé too. FC Santos goalkeeper between 1959 and 1963, his face illuminated by evoking the prowess of the idol: “He was a genius. He was still only a young player, but it was he who dictated The pace of matches. “Besides, at the time, the trainer’s tactic was simple:” We had to pass the ball and we knew he was going to score. “Lala remembers a joyful kid but Rather reserved in the locker room, applied and worker in training.
“I spent my time getting the ball at the bottom of the nets, he smiles. He always created surprise with unexpected body feints. We talk a lot about his technical qualities, but it was also a physically monster . He looked frail but believe me, his shots were violent! “Lala is formal:” Santos would never have been so successful without Pelé. We went to play the intercontinental cup against Milan in Europe in 1963. We returned by being the best team in the world. And it was thanks to him. “
” I told him “hello king”. He smiled at me “
Attic under the photo of the thousandth Pelé’s goal, scored on penalty spot, Persio Nicoletti only saw playing once “the athlete of the century”. However, of all the customers of Padoca Santista, this 52 -year -old dentist is undoubtedly the one who best knows his story as a footballer. “I have a collection of replicas of the twenty jerseys he worn in his life. The first date of 1952 when he played for the club of Ameriquinha de Bauru, in the state of Sao Paulo,” Il.
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