We´ve been slowly building up the targets, beginning with an Argentine cult legend, then an Italian favorite, and now we firmly set our sights on the game´s all time great Pele, known as “O Rei” (The King). However, in a playing career so impeccable, finding a blemish on his cv was near impossible. But his personal life, sadly, was another story.

I will not dive into the fierce Pele-Maradonna debate, I will merely wade. Pele has three World Cups (granted he got injured in 1962), Maradonna has one. Pele seamlessly blended in with his Brazilian compatriots, while Maradonna often willed his colleagues forward with moments of individual brilliance. For me, Pele was The Edge while Maradonna was Jimi Hendrix. Both are brilliant guitarists, but one only shines on his own.

Debate also rages on about how many goals Pele in fact scored. But once you´ve topped 1,000, does a handful really matter?

My favorite Pele moment is not an assist or a goal, but rather a moment of mischief.

And of course, he played the penultimate pass in the so-called “greatest goal of all time.” The game: Brazil v. Italy, 1970. The passing sequence is flawless, as if upon opening a clam, you found a diamond instead of a pearl.

However, some people forgot the role Pele played in toppling fascism in Germany. Well, at least in a poorly constructed work of fiction, that is. The Atomic bomb? Try a slow-motion bicycle kick! Taake that Third Reich!

For his meteoric and sustained professional success, his personal life unravelled. An unscrupulous friend left him in financial problems, but O Rei did find some endorsement deals.

O Rei signed on for an endorsement deal with Viagra. However, Pele´s approval led to a staggering increase in use among the young people, so Brazil swiftly banned the ads.

I was unable to find any trace of the Portuguese-language commerical, but did uncover this spoof conducted by Brazilian comedian Caio Oliver.

Pele had an unblemished playing career and did not dare venture into the managerial waters. While his often repeated and thus meaningless “team X will win the world cup” is irritating, Pele´s current state is more a product of 21st century advertising than personal failings.

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