Inter legend Ronaldo reveals Pelè visited him in 2000 after his second knee injury: ‘ He was the real Phenomenon, his greatness will never vanish.’
Pelè’s family confirmed his death on December 29 and tributes from the world of football have poured in since the announcement.
La Gazzetta dello Sport published a letter by former Inter and Milan striker Ronaldo, who was a close friend of the Brazilian legend. Here’s the full translation:
“There is no consolation in awareness. I’ve been waiting, we’ve been waiting for this moment for days, but I am sad because a friend I loved has gone, more than that: he was an icon of our sport and all sports.
“A man who became the symbol of football’s beauty. The nickname I still have, The Phenomenon, was always exaggerated when I thought about him. Pele was the real phenomenon.
“In my country, but perhaps not only there, there is no child or boy of my age who has approached football without having in his eyes old images, maybe filmed in black and white, of that striker who scored impossible goals and made the ball do impossible things.
“The greatest footballer of all time, that’s why I smiled when people said I was his heir: it was impossible. That’s why I’ve never felt it as a burden but as a pride.
“I want to believe that Pelé died serenely. With the smile, he almost always had on his face, an infectious smile. He smiled every time we met and every time he was able to find a word or give a piece of advice that was as exciting as being in front of a myth.
“An Italian memory of him, one of the sweetest I have, is from 2000. I had just suffered another knee injury in the ‘famous’ game at the Stadio Olimpico. The worst injury in my career. Pelé was in Italy, he was supposed to go to New York from Rome, but decided to take a flight to Milan to greet me and give me one of his hugs.
“He came with his friend Candido Cannavò. When he left the car and the doorman understood who he was, he almost fainted. It’s a meeting I still remember today.
“I had crutches, he accompanied me holding my arm. We went outside, on the terrace, and in front of us, there was San Siro. It was so close that it seemed you could almost touch it. He told me of when he had played there with Santos and Angelo Moratti had bought him for Inter, but he didn’t want to leave Brazil.
“Massimo, my President, called me to greet him and confirmed everything. So I asked him if Pelè could sign a contract with Inter until January, so he could replace me. He was laughing so much.
“When he left, we made two promises to ourselves. My son Ronald and his son Joshua, who is 25 today, would have played football together and I wouldn’t miss his 60th birthday. Then he hugged me and told me a story that for me was like a caress, but one of those that make you strong.
“He told me about his injury in the 1966 World Cup, saying that four years later he was stronger than before. He told me: ‘Today I came here to bring you this certainty. If you are with God, you’ll get over it.’ Today Pelè is even more with God, but his greatness will never vanish.”