- Title: USA: PELE RATES COLOMBIA AS BEST TEAM IN WORLD CUP
- Date: 9th June 1994
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JUNE 9, 1994) 1. PELE GIVES KISS AND AWARD TO JULIO MAZZEI OF BRAZIL, A CLOSE FRIEND OF PELE AND FORMER HEAD COACH OF THE NEW YORK COSMOS 2. AUDIENCE/PRESS. 3. PELE SPEAKS AS NOTED ABOUT THE COLOMBIAN SOCCER TEAM. 4. PELE SPEAKS AS NOTED ABOUT THE BOLIVIAN SOCCER TEAM. RIGHTSHOLDERS: REUTERS TV Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 24th June 1994 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVABX3CXPR8CF04E8MJJMAHY4Y7S
- Story Text: Pele presented awards to 24 foreign-born U.S. residents on Thursday (June 9) for their contributions to the growth of soccer in the United States.
The Brazilian soccer legend said that Colombia had the best team in the 1994 finals and predicted Diego Maradona would prove only a token threat.
Pele instead nominated Italy's Roberto Baggio, Colombia's Faustino Asprilla and fellow Brazilian Romario as likely stars of what he said could become the best tournament in years.
"Colombia have a very organised side with one or two good young players, including Asprilla, and they've played together a long time. They're the best team, no doubt," said Pele.
He went on to tell Reuters Television, "Colombia plays a kind of soccer that the world should have the opportunity to see." Speaking of Bolivia's soccer team, Pele said "the most important game for Bolivia is their first game. If they perform well against Germany, Bolivia have a good chance of qualifying for the second round." Brazil's chances of emulating the achievements of Pele's era rest on them finding a "more compact" style and possibly taking a risk with the 17-year-old Ronaldo, being hailed by some as "the new Pele".
"He's a good player and if he has the opportunity to play I think he will be one of the stars of the World Cup. If I was the manager I'd give him a chance to play." But he could not resist a dig at Maradona, one of the few to have inherited the Brazilian's mantle as the greatest player in the world.
"I really don't expect anything from him...it's too late," said Pele, reflecting on the Argentine's presence at his fourth World Cup.
"If you are in condition you can do it. At the age of 53, you can forget about asking Pele to do bicycle kicks or make beautiful goals," he said.
"But I could still play in midfield because I'm in good condition...once you hit the point that he hit, however, it's difficult to come back." Pele's career ended in New York 17 years ago following a three-year-stint with the New York Cosmos. During two decades in the professional game, he scored 1,282 goals in 1,364 games.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
