When GQ met Pelé
01.01.70
'S photographer, Simon, to put his hands in the
air, look this way and that, smile, yell, pat his head
and rub his tummy (well, almost), Pelé is doing everything
asked of him with the enthusiasm of a man half his age,
in no way allowing you to believe that he has been here a million
times or more before.
Another day, another nondescript caravanserai room in an unremarkable
city in Switzerland. Is it Geneva or Zurich? Almost assuredly
Zurich. Like fellow sexagenarian Bob Dylan, Pelé has been
on his own never-ending trek of promotion and publicity for decades
now. Today, it's an afternoon's work for Puma, following a
morning joining with FIFA president Sepp Blatter, with an evening
reception in his admiration still to come. A bizarre existence this,
where everyone still wants to laud him daily for deeds done more
than half a lifetime ago.
It's almost 30 years since Pelé's man Friday and final retirement
from football, a period which has seen his reputation enshrined as
the world's greatest virtuoso. Apart from his obvious achievements on
the pitch - youngest ever scorer in a World Cup Last, three World
Cup winners' medals, a staggering tally of 1,281 goals in 1,363
matches - the accolade has become married to him for two
reasons.
Source: GQ.com