LoI wasn’t born in those days when my eyes and ears were glued to a ball of cum and a black boy with curly hair. The great magician who brought the players to the ascendant era of enjoyment before football became addictive on television. Pele Jogo, who won the World Cup three times for the Yellow Army, shone as Bonita’s stalwart. It was two decades after Pele took off his boots that football took hold of me like love. Pele dribbled the football like a supernatural wizard like the sultan of grandmotherly stories and ran onto the playing field of Manas. The adoration for Pele later turned into a fondness for Brazil. Pele’s mesmerizing performances that have marked the time have been mesmerized by watching them on YouTube.
The movie ‘Pele the Birth of a Legend’ was seen on the OTT platform two days ago. The movie was about a great magician who trained by imagining the mango as a football. I watched the movie twice that day alone. Pele brings out the charm of graceful football to motivate his teammates before the 58 final. ‘Sakshal Pele’ was sitting in the lobby when actor Pele rushed forward with the ball from the room towards the lamp post along with his teammates. In Abhrapali, when the great actor and the magician of the field came together in one frame, the mind unknowingly went to the city of Kolkata seven years ago. The day Pele actually came to India after a gap of 38 years. Pele, who came to hit the ball for the New York Cosmos at the Eidal Gardens in 77, returned as a guest after three decades. He was not fit to hit the ball that day.
It was unexpected that he was assigned to cover the event for Mathrubhumi News. While sitting in the second AC of Rajdhani Express with cameraman Vinod Morazha and media personality Ajit Joseph, the talk was all about football. When all the players including Maradona and Garrincha are infused into one person, he is Pele. That was what he said when he finished the little news and went to bed. On October 12, when I got off the train at Howrah and walked out, the city of Kolkata was dressed up. To welcome Pele. Took a room at Taramahal Hotel and rested for a while. I was informed that Pele would fly out at noon. Immediately returned to Dumdum Airport. All the enthusiasm of the people who love football to the core could be seen on the streets.
Going to meet the king of football seen only on television in person. Unknowingly, the crowd spread to me as well. People are shouting ‘Pele..Pele..Pele…Pele’. Every movement near the VIP gate at the airport made the fans impatient. Come, king, fill us who love you with leather ball’. As time passed, the crowd outside the airport increased. Suddenly, football saw the sun rise among the CISF uniforms. Dressed in a black coat, Black Pearl arrived. People chanted in unison ‘Pele pele pela’. I couldn’t help but take in the cheers of the crowd. Pele…Pele..Pele..Despite the frailty of seventy-four years, Pele waved and greeted the fans. He climbed on top of the open car and waved. Then to Taj Hotel. Pele was tired from traveling for 12 hours straight.
Pele stayed at the Taj Hotel. He said he would meet the media there. The organizers asked to write down the questions. The question related to this was written because I understood Kerala’s yellow army enthusiasm and love for Pele. Have you heard of Brazil and football loving Kerala? The question was whether you could intervene so that Brazil could cooperate in training the Indian players. Pele came to the press conference with Sourav Ganguly, the co-owner of the ISL team Atletico Kolkata. Media workers stood up and showed respect to the football legend. I was just a football fan and it was a dream come true. The legend that amazed Brazil and the world in the fifties is far from reach. Even in his walk, the drama of football was evident. Feet filled with webbing more than a thousand times rested inside black shoes.
Pele answered only a few questions. Pele responded that he was happy to know that Brazil had fans in Kerala. The disadvantage of the long journey was evident in Pele. He quickly ended the press conference and returned. The next day he also watched the ISL match between Kerala Blasters and ATK. Pele took part in the celebration by cutting the cake along with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and AR Rahman at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. After kissing Mamata’s hand, Pele held Sourav Ganguly and expressed the depth of his love for India. The two days in Kolkata became an unforgettable day in his life. Seven years later, I am in the gallery of memories as the legend dribbles into immortality. There is still noise on the field…