The first World Cup I remember was in the 1950 when I was 9 or 10 years old. My father was a soccer player, and there was a big party, and when Brazil lost to Uruguay, I saw my father crying.
Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.
Most important is to be a good man.
The level of football in England is the top. English football is the leader in the world.
I always think that I would have become an actor if I hadn’t been a soccer player.
Everyone talks about the forwards, the players when they are scoring goals. But sometimes I look for the complete player not just the players who score but those who can pass.
I sometimes lie awake at night and wonder why I am still so popular and, to be honest, I don’t know.
Yes, I have a lot of business interests. But I don’t work for just anyone, and I choose the companies very carefully.
Of course, my father was a soccer player. He used to play very good. Then, when I was young, eight or nine years old, ten years old, I just want to be like my father.
When you control the ball you control the score.
The World Cup is a very complicated tournament – six games, seven if you make it to the final – and maybe if you lose one game you’re out, even if you’re the best.
If I pass away one day, I am happy because I tried to do my best. My sport allowed me to do so much because it’s the biggest sport in the world.
Brazil eats, sleeps and drinks football. It lives football!
No doubt, I am earning more money with my endorsements than I ever earned playing soccer.
I think that France, Germany, Spain, Holland and England will join Brazil in the semi-finals.
When you play against dirty players or very tough players, it’s easy to escape because you know what they’re going to do. But when the player is tough but intelligent, it’s much more difficult.
To be a striker you need to be in good shape.
I represent Brazil all over the world. Wherever I go I have to do my best, to not disappoint the Brazilian people. And that I’ve done.
Sport is something that is very inspirational for young people.
The World Cup is a very important way to measure the good players, and the great ones. It is a test of a great player.
People always ask me: ‘When is the new Pele going to be born?’ Never. My father and mother have closed the factory.