8 Pelé’s Triumphs Continue

CHAPTER 8 Pelé's Triumphs Continue During the entire span of Pelé's career in Brazil, soccer had not been very popular in the United States. Some immigrant Americans followed the teams from their native countries. But even though there was a national team, very few Americans played. In 1968, a new professional league was formed, hoping to bring "the world's sport" to the United States. The North American Soccer League (NASL) wanted to attract attention, so it recruited soccer stars from around the world. In 1975, after he left Santos, Pelé was asked to join the New York Cosmos. He was thirty-four years old and his best playing days were behind him. But he still loved the game, and he was

willing to try something new. And the Cosmos understood that world-famous Pelé could attract new fans to the sport. But first, Brazil had to let him go! US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, a soccer fan, persuaded Brazil's president to allow Pelé, the "national treasure," to play in the United States. The Cosmos gave Pelé a contract that paid him almost four times more than the highest-paid American baseball player at the time. It was more money than Pelé had earned in all his years with Santos combined—more than $4 million! The great star arrived to a mixed reaction. Soccer fans were thrilled. Many American sportswriters, however, didn't understand all the fuss. How could you love a sport where you can't use your hands? they joked. Surprisingly, the Cosmos' early games with Pelé were not sellouts, and the team lost more games than it won. It had been a huge risk for the Cosmos to bring Pelé to New York.

By 1977, however, the gamble had paid off. The Cosmos had become a huge hit everywhere they played. The games were all televised. Huge crowds packed stadiums across the country. Other great stars joined Pelé on the team, including Germany's Franz Beckenbauer and Italy's Giorgio Chinaglia. During Pelé's third season, the Cosmos won the Soccer Bowl, the NASL championship game.

When Pelé decided to end his career in America, a special farewell match was held at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. On October 1, 1977, the Cosmos arranged a game against Santos, Pelé's old club from Brazil. The biggest crowd in American soccer history up to that time (75,616) filled every seat. In the first half, Pelé played for the Cosmos and scored a goal. In the second half, he switched sides and played one more time for Santos. He ended his career

with a total of 1,281 goals. He was thirty-six years old.

Before the game, Pelé spoke to the fans. He thanked them for supporting him. Then he called on the people in the stands to repeat one word, over and over. Expressing his feelings for his fans, for the game, and for people everywhere, he called out, "Love! Love! Love!" The fans roared back all the "Love" to Pelé! At halftime, he gave his Cosmos jersey to Dondinho to thank him for getting him started in soccer, and he hugged Rosemeri. After the