This week, I read Pablo Maurer’s article titled Pelé in the United States: Stories of his influence, kindness and humility from those who knew him. Maurer’s approach to explaining the ways in which Pelé was a unique man, exceptional soccer player, and force for good in sports and the his communities was very effective in conveying the significance of a figure such as Pelé to sport culture in the Americas.
By portraying a man seen as one of the greats as a humble, kind, and gracious human being, Maurer creates a more personal narrative around a figure who many may deem to be untouchable or superior. As one who does not have an extensive knowledge of soccer history, I felt it quite easy to immerse myself in Pelé’s story when it was told through his simple, kind human interactions.
This is implemented right off the bat in the article, with Maurer explaining how treasured Pelé’s items and artifacts are by exemplifying Martinelli’s (an equipment manager with the New York Cosmos, which Pelé once played for) collection of photographs and team memorabilia. What’s significant about the inclusion of Martinelli’s “Pelé Museum” in this article’s presentation of the soccer star is not how treasured the things associated with Pelé are, but instead how treasured Martinelli’s memories of Pelé are.
Throughout the article there are examples of many more personal connections to Pelé, making an example of how personable and humble he was. Maurer makes sure to include Pelé’s close-up involvement with his own soccer camp – Pelé refused the “guest house” on the camp property and instead slept among the players and coaches, making his presence into something normal and everyday for these young players who looked up to him intensely upon first meeting him, but even more after getting to know him as an involved figure in their soccer training and not just a legend.
I think Maurer did a wonderful job of portraying Pelé in this piece – the personal testimonies of Pelé’s graciousness and humility created a well-rounded, very admirable image of Pelé.
