PELÉ

by FranÇois ThÉbaud ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 17, 1976

Another PelÉ--this one, written by a French soccer authority, preserves the accent aigu in the title. There should be little reason for confusion with Kowet's N.Y. Cosmos-oriented work (see above), as this is a fuller biography of ""the greatest artist in the history of soccer."" ThÉbaud follows the athlete from his poverty-stricken origins in his hometown Très CoraÇaoes. . . through his arrival on the international scene as the acrobatic 17-year-old star of the Brazilian national team during the 1958 World Cup matches. . . and up to his current role as the potential savior of the sport in the U.S. His ""gentleness and simplicity"" aside, there's very little said here about the man himself and his tightly-guarded personal life. The book's strength lies in its observations of #10 in action alongside his Santos teammates with a recreation of some of his most memorable goals. A flairless but relatively inclusive work which does little to either dispel or promote Pele's demigod status.

Pub Date: March 17, 1976

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Harper & Row

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1976

Categories: NONFICTION