Welcome to a new series of articles from Last Word on Football. During the coming days and weeks, we will be looking back at some of the historical moments in football and asking, “What if?”
Today we ask, “What if Pelé had played in Europe?”
What if Pelé Had Played in Europe?
Pelé In Europe
Pelé is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. The Brazilian won the World Cup three times and scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances during a record-breaking career. However, unlike other greats, Pelé never took his talents across the Atlantic to play in Europe. He only played for two teams in his illustrious career, Santos and New York Cosmos. The Brazilian scored a record 569 goals for Santos in 583 appearances.
What Really Happened
Pelé was linked with a move to Europe at numerous points during his 21-year career. He almost joined Inter Milan in 1958 but did not feel ready to leave Brazil.
In an Instagram post to Cristiano Ronaldo, the Brazilian superstar also revealed that he came close to joining Juventus. Pelé said: “Good luck, Cristiano, for your first game with Juve. Had things worked out differently, I may have played for the Old Lady too. Over dinner one evening in 1961, the owner of Fiat offered the president of Santos FC a million dollars to sign! I only played in these stripes though.”
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In an interview with USA Today, Pelé revealed he also had offers from Real Madrid, Napoli, and Manchester United during his career. The Brazilian said: “It’s not a regret. I was at Santos, and at the time they were a powerhouse.”
The Brazilian’s stardom attracted some of Europe’s biggest clubs. However, he displayed loyalty rarely seen in today’s game to reject the offers and stay with Santos
It Could Have Been So Different
It could have gone so differently. If he joined Inter in 1958 as a 17-year-old, his career and legacy would have taken a different shape. The all-time great would still be a legend in Brazil, he had led them to victory in the 1958 World Cup before the rumoured move. However, he wouldn’t be as beloved by the Santos fans. Pelé played for Santos for 18 years and leaving in 1958 would’ve stopped him from building a special bond with their fans.
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To work out how he may have fared in Europe, there is a selection of competitive matches and friendlies that Santos played against top European sides. The competitive games all came in the Intercontinental Cup. This competition was contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and Copa Libertadores. The all-time great led his Santos team to two victories in the competition. First against Benfica in 1962 and then against Inter in 1963,
Pelé’s Santos were a star attraction and often went on tours around the globe where they played various European sides. Their star man was often targeted by defenders looking to prove themselves but managed to rack up an impressive goal tally. Eight goals against Inter, two against West Ham, three against Barcelona, and four against Benfica.
It’s clear based on these numbers that a move to Europe would’ve boosted the icon’s legacy in the continent. Having more fans in Europe would help the Brazilian in his case to be called the World’s best player. Argentina’s Lionel Messi has supporters in Spain and his home country backing his argument.
However, Pele’s loyalty to Santos makes him unique among the world’s best and his games against Europe’s biggest clubs proved they were no match for his brilliance.
