Pelé turns 81 today.
There is not much I can write that you do not know, but here is a behind-the-scenes love story.
A love story of two Pelé fans, I must clarify here. Not his love story.
Maybe you have not heard of it.
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There is not much I can write that you do not know, but here is a behind-the-scenes love story.
A love story of two Pelé fans, I must clarify here. Not his love story.
Maybe you have not heard of it.
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The story began in Sweden, back in 1958. Yes, almost six decades ago.
It involves two fans of Brazilian football.
They were there when a certain Pelé became the youngest to score a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup.
They also saw him score two more goals in the final.
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It involves two fans of Brazilian football.
They were there when a certain Pelé became the youngest to score a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup.
They also saw him score two more goals in the final.
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They cried together when Pelé got injured against Czechoslovakia in the 1962 World Cup.
And during the Bulgaria and Portugal matches of the 1966 World Cup.
And they were obviously there for the 1970 World Cup final.
By now they were obviously not in their early 20s anymore.
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And during the Bulgaria and Portugal matches of the 1966 World Cup.
And they were obviously there for the 1970 World Cup final.
By now they were obviously not in their early 20s anymore.
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They were approaching mid-30s.
They had felt *that* familiar undercurrent towards each other, but none of them brought up the topic.
But they had caught each other casting furtive glances.
And over time, both settled down in New Jersey without each other's knowledge.
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They had felt *that* familiar undercurrent towards each other, but none of them brought up the topic.
But they had caught each other casting furtive glances.
And over time, both settled down in New Jersey without each other's knowledge.
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Then came October 1, 1977, when Santos FC played New York Cosmos at the Giants Stadium.
Pelé famously played the first half for Cosmos and the second half for Santos.
Coincidentally, the characters of our story found adjacent seats.
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Pelé famously played the first half for Cosmos and the second half for Santos.
Coincidentally, the characters of our story found adjacent seats.
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He – forty by now – finally mustered the courage of asking her out for a drink.
She obliged.
As the conversation blossomed, she could not help but ask:
"Let me be honest. I have tried to not think about you, but I have not been able to help it since that day at Sweden."
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She obliged.
As the conversation blossomed, she could not help but ask:
"Let me be honest. I have tried to not think about you, but I have not been able to help it since that day at Sweden."
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He agreed. Indeed, it had been the same for him.
They had something in common, but did admiration for an athlete really amount to mutual attraction?
She pressed: "What is it this chemistry? How is this even possible?"
He smiled, hummed a tune, and sang:
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They had something in common, but did admiration for an athlete really amount to mutual attraction?
She pressed: "What is it this chemistry? How is this even possible?"
He smiled, hummed a tune, and sang:
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"Tera mujhse hai Pelé ka naata koi
Yoon hi nahin dil lubhaata koi."
Yoon hi nahin dil lubhaata koi."
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