Pele featured in the Brazilophile imaginary as the a figure of non-utile excess, a carefree artist in the Nietzschean sense, indifferent to the narrow teleology of winning matches... check the way that most of the endlessly replayed footage we see of Pele is not of him scoring goals, but audaciously missing chances contrived by force of wit.
I met Pele once. I am not often nervous but in this moment I was shaking. He's a wonderful person.
That save from Pele's header was the best I ever made. I didn't have any idea how famous it would become - to start with, I didn't even realise I'd made it at all.
I was always inspired by Brazilian football growing up. Those huge Nike campaigns, the Jogo Bonito campaigns that had Ronaldinho, that's the beauty of the game that I love.
I have dreamed of Brazil all my life. As a child, I had videos of Brazil, of their World Cup wins, of Pele, and of all the big players.
Edson is the person that supports Pele. Edson is the base. Pele just comes and adds the face.
Wherever you go, there are three icons that everyone knows: Jesus Christ, Pele and Coca-Cola.
Pele wasn't as gifted as George Best and I would definitely put George above Johan Cruyff because he had more heart.
Messi has all the conditions to be the best, but first he has to beat Maradona, Romario and then eventually Pele.
Unfortunately, I never saw Pele play. What I know of him is through my grandfather, my dad's dad, who used to talk to me and tell me about how he played.
Tactically, technically, physically, mentally he was the best. A lot of things that I learnt was from Pele's sticker albums: how to head, how to shoot the ball. It was like a step-by-step guide. I learnt from Pele as a kid.
Pele was the most complete player I've ever seen.
When God built Pele, he put everything that a player needs in him. He knew how to shoot, how to dribble, how to head, be physical. He had everything that a football player needs to have. It's difficult for someone to achieve what he has in football.
Pele should go back to the museum.
It's difficult to talk about Pele because I didn't see him.
I am not White Pele. I am simply Zico.
The first World Cup I followed was Sweden 1958. I watched the games on TV. Brazil won that World Cup by defeating Sweden 5-2 in the Final and Pele scored twice.
I wasn't like other boys. At any rate, I wasn't like my three elder brothers: they excelled at football and they were like other boys, going up to bed each night hugging annuals filled with stories about the glories of Pele and Danny McGrain.
Everything you can imagine from a player, Pele has done it.
Pele called me the greatest footballer in the world. That is the ultimate salute to my life.
Others are others, Pele is Pele, he is totally different.
I can't be compared to Pele. I need to do so much more to be compared to Pele. Pele is fantastic. And he's unique.
I never saw Pele, but I watched Maradona, for seven years I saw every game. He's not one of the best, he's the best.
There are people you can say you have seen play, such as Pele or Maradona. But Messi is unique, out on his own, and is going to make history. I can say I saw Messi play.
Brazil remains a reference to the sport.
