MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The passing of soccer legend Pelé can be felt through the pitch at Uihlein Soccer Park, as the Milwaukee Wave gear up for their daily practice.
“Here, soccer is still a sport. In Brazil, it's a religion,” said defender Marcio Leite.
Three of the team’s Brazilian players say the power of the superstar’s presence still resonates, years after he took his last steps on the pitch.
“He was just different. It was a different type of soccer back then. And he was just a different player on the field. He could create things out of nowhere. He had the beauty, the magic that helped just elevate the sport to a different level for a new generation. That's why we can say we have Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, because without Pelé, we might not have those players now,” said forward Andre Hayne.
The players say that Pelé’s influence is so strong that they still feel his impact today and they’re excited to see how Milwaukee embraces soccer a little bit later next year.
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“He sees that soccer can lead you anywhere. It's like we always say, when we play here and people come from everywhere: South Africa, Europe, Asia and South America like us. You don't have to speak English. You’ve just got to play and you understand and it's a universal language,” said midfielder Luan Oliviera.
For them, Pelé’s legacy will continue, just as the legend said, with them quoting his famous line: “Edson might die, but Pelé will live forever.”
“If Brazil is as good as we are at soccer today, it’s because a long time ago, every kid wanted to be the next Pelé. That influence, that thing that he brought to our country, to the people, to the kids, I don't know if anybody's going to ever be able to do it again,” said Leite.
