Pelé celebrated his 60th birthday in Prague: as a secret agent, he put his friend Masopust to sleep
He did not honor any other city by flying to celebrate the 60th anniversary. Of all the world’s capitals, the legendary Pelé chose – Prague. Although, honestly, it wasn’t entirely from his head. In any case, he arrived in 2000 and his stay was to be conducted in the utmost secrecy. It didn’t work, well, not completely. And paradoxically, it was the Czech journalists who could meet the phenomenal Brazilian, who considered himself the best football player of all time, for at least a quarter of an hour, while his great friend Josef Masopust could not. There were very prosaic reasons for this. Pelé his visit just… he fell asleep. This too belongs to the memories of a man who died at the age of eighty-two.
The rumor had the effect of an electric shock. Pelé is in Prague! He got off the plane unnoticed exactly on his sixtieth birthday, Monday, October 23, 2000. From Ruzyně, he is heading by car to the Palace Hotel on the corner of Jindřišská and Panská streets, where the Czech-American Boris Korbel, patron of Slavia, rented a spacious suite in the early 1990s. For a few hours, the rare guest of Hradčany and Charles Bridge enjoyed incognito, exactly as he had planned. But this had to be mission impossible. It broke in the afternoon or evening. Indeed, it is HE. It’s HERE!
But why isn’t he blowing out candles and cutting a cake in Rio de Janeiro, surrounded by countless family members and friends these days?! The answer lies in the smile of his lovely, twenty-one-year-younger (second) wife, Assyria. She fell in love with Prague during her previous visit, five years ago. She had enchanted her so much that she wanted to return to it, and the round birthday was a special occasion. “It’s the most romantic place in the world,” she repeated dreamily. And even Edson Arantes do Nascimento succumbed to its charm, in this case the city above the Vltava.
On Tuesday, however, a group of tense journalists is already patrolling the hotel reception. The uproar occurred not only in the newsrooms, but also in Strahov, the seat of the football association. They quickly send him a gift, bouquets and champagne from there. It’s shortly after one, the elevator doors open – and Pelé walks out, smiling from ear to ear. In a black leather jacket and a white turtleneck, he’s a dude, in a good way.
“Wait, wait!” he exclaims when he sees the interest. But not to nip it in the bud.
Even though he didn’t really want attention this time, he doesn’t show it even for a moment, he just sets the time for the photo shoot and the interview and willingly answers questions. First Portuguese, then English. “I know everyone expected me to stay in Rio de Janeiro. But I really like it in Prague, as does my wife. She was right, it really is a very romantic city. In addition, I have many friends in the Czech Republic. Apart from the celebration, my wife and I are having our first real honeymoon here,” he grins. “I just wanted to be here really incognito,” he adds. However, it does not sound like a reproach at all.
Of course, Czech and Czechoslovakian football will also be discussed. By the way, which moment do you remember first? It’s not the 1962 World Cup in Chile, but eight years later in Mexico. “I remember well the players I played against many times. I especially remember the last match against Czechoslovakia in Mexico. You probably haven’t been born yet, have you?” he laughs. “Ivo Viktor was catching in your goal back then. We won 4-1 and I scored him. But I failed to hit a lob from the middle of the field, which flew right next to the goal,” he remembers the memorable moment when all the Czechoslovak players went numb.
A few more questions and answers, then the legend blows a quick kiss to the cameras and says goodbye, turns back to the elevator and the door closes behind her. After a while, he leaves the garage in a luxury car for another tour of the city. It’s unbelievable how calm she seemed in all the hustle and bustle. What an uproar, a confusion that will affect even Josef Masopust. The two have a strong bond over a long distance, mainly because of the gentlemanly behavior of the Czech Golden Ball winner at the 1962 World Cup in Chile. The injured Pelé, who could not substitute, was dismayed that Masopust and, on his command, the other Czechoslovaks did not attack him, and he, in turn, only blocked the ball.
Nevertheless, he wanted to be so invisible in Prague that he intended to sacrifice even a rare meeting. Masopust cost him a lot. But he receives conflicting reports, according to some, the guy in Prague couldn’t be Pelé… “If he’s here, he probably forgot about me,” reflected Masopust. At first, you cannot connect with a great friend. Until a fax came from him saying that he should come to the hotel on Wednesday, the day of Pelé’s departure to Zurich for the then head of FIFA, Sepp Blatter.
Masopust took the invitation with him to be admitted to the heavily guarded suite. But hey. He ended up in the hall. Pelé was still asleep, his celebration at the Brazilian embassy dragged on. And so Assyria’s wife apologized a little guiltily for him. “She told me they blew the whistle and came back at two, three in the morning. Pelé allegedly ordered that they should wake him up at half past one in order to catch the plane,” Masopust described the conversation. Not even the wife of the football king dared to disobey such a wish, or rather an order.
After all, the carnival stayed for half an hour, but then he pulled himself together, left Mrs. Pelé a gift and left for duty. It was scheduled to shoot a locket prepared for his approaching seventies.
“I couldn’t keep those people waiting…”