The Seleção legend has been discussing his memories of the last World Cup finals in Brazil.
Ahead of this summer’s competition in the South American nation, Pelé recalled that he inadvertently predicted his 1958 tournament triumph when consoling his father after Brazil’s defeat to Uruguay eight years earlier.
Speaking to FIFA.com, he said: “I was with three or four friends and my father, who was also a footballer. At that time, there was no television. That’s why he invited everyone to listen to the game on the radio.
“The children went to play in the street. It was very busy. There were a lot of people but later everything became very quiet. We returned to the house to ask what was happening. My father was crying. He told me that we had lost.
“I remember telling him jokingly: ‘Do not cry daddy, I’ll win the World Cup for you.’ I said the first thing that came into my head but eight years later I was called into the squad and we won the title.”
