Brazilian football legend Pele waves prior to the African Cup of Nations final in 2012. Photo /AP
Brazilian football legend Pele waves prior to the African Cup of Nations final in 2012. Photo /AP
Wynton Rufer has shared some insight into his friendship with football legend Pelé who passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer. He was 82.
Pelé, the Brazilian king of football won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century.
All Whites great Rufer went from a young admirer of Pelé, when he led Brazil to the World Cup title in 1970 over Italy, to form a friendship with him.
“I was an eight-year-old growing up in Wellington listening on the radio and I was already late for school,” Rufer said of the 1970 final.
“Pelé scored the first goal in the 17th minute, I turned the radio off and went to school. Found out after school that they had won 4-1. Those were my earliest memories of Pelé...he was my idol,” he told Newstalk ZB’s D’Arcy Waldegrave.
“I shared a room with my brother Shane and between our beds was a big poster of Pelé. He was the inspiration for me to become a professional footballer and I was able to make it happen.
In 1998 new Fifa president Sepp Blatter introduced a new Football Committee and invited the likes of Pelé, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Sir Bobby Charlton and Rufer as part of the 18-person group.
“We meet for the first time at the Fifa headquarters in Zurich, 3pm in the afternoon everyone is there and we’re just waiting for Pelé. Door opens and Pelé went around one-by-one hugging everybody and saying hello. I’m waiting there in anticipation freaking out completely. Even though I’m a born-again Christian, Jesus is my idol but it was always be Pelé as well.
“He finally comes to me, gives me a hug and says ‘nice to see you again’. I’m in complete awe and I say ‘I’ve never met you before’. He puts his hands on my shoulder with a big smile and says ‘well now we know each other’. And just moved onto the next person. Pure class. Just like the way he played football.”
“He’s the most humble human being I’ve probably met in my life. Most amazing. I got to meet him again several times.”
Brazil's Pele is hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates after Brazil won the World Cup final against Italy, 4-1 in 1970. Photo / AP
Rufer was named FIFA Oceania Footballer of the Century while Pelé was a joint winner with Maradon for overall Footballer of the Century, announced in 2000.
They continued to work together. In 2004 to mark the centenary of Fifa, Rufer and Pelé had to choose three images from over a thousand options to be made into special stamps. Rufer also recalls being invited to play in a game at Nelson Mandela’s 89th birthday celebration and in the changing room before kickoff his shirt was set up next to Pelé’s.
Rufer was also invited to Pelé’s 70th birthday celebration.
“I’ve been very very privileged to form a relationship with him.”
Rufer, who turned 60 yesterday, said Pelé ranks as the best footballer of all time.
“He’s the greatest of all time. Obviously, every Argentinian will be saying either Maradona or Messi. The younger generation and the kids today, they’re all going to say it’s either Messi or Ronaldo. Only about 30 percent of Pelé games have been recorded, for Messi and Ronaldo it’s 100 percent. If I could make a three-minute highlight video of Pelé’s best moments it would be better than anyone else. For me number one is Pelé, number two is Maradona while I’ve got Messi, Ronaldo and [Marco] van Basten, they’re all equal three for me.”
