Pele: Birth of a Legend Page #3

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in the '54 quarter final.

No showmanship,

no beating their mark.

They just master the formations.

- Let's go, Dico!

Let's go, Dico!

Let's go!

- Man, let's go. Let's go.

Come on, Dico! Come on, Dico!

Come on, Dico! Let's go!

- Let's go!

Let's go, team!

- Come on!

- Laces out. Laces out.

- Come on, man.

- Boy.

- He never scores.

- Well, well.

Leaving so soon?

- Mr. de Brito?

What are you doing here?

- I was going to ask

the same of you.

- I'm no good, Mr. de Brito.

I can't play

like the other guys.

And if I don't

go back to school now

I'll end up cleaning toilets.

- Mm-hmm.

And what's wrong with that?

- Cleaning toilets?

- No.

What's wrong with not playing

the way the other guys do?

- Coach says the way

I play is primitive.

- It is primitive.

It has a long and rich history.

- Then why does coach hate it?

- Well, uh..

...it all started

in the beginning

of the 16th Century.

- Huh?

- Come on.

- If you don't wanna know,

I'll...

- No, no, no, Mr. De Brito.

I do wanna know.

Please. Tell me.

- Okay, like I was saying

it was the beginning

of the 16th Century.

The Portuguese arrived

to Brazil with African slaves.

But the Africans' will

was strong.

And many escaped to the jungle.

To protect themselves

the runaway slaves

called upon the ginga.

The foundation of Capoeira,

the martial art of war.

When slavery

was finally abolished

the Capoeiristas

came out of the jungle

only to find that Capoeira

was outlawed

throughout the land.

They saw football

as a perfect way

to practice the ginga

without being arrested.

It was the ultimate

form of ginga.

And before long

the ginga evolved, adapted

until it was

no longer just ours.

But the rhythm

within all Brazilians.

But by the 1950 World Cup

most believed our ginga style

was to blame for the loss

and turned against

anything associated

with our African heritage.

And just like your coach

has been trying to remove ginga

from your play..

...we've been trying

to remove it from our self

as a people ever since.

But the ginga

is very strong in you, Dico.

So you can

either show us what happens

when you have the courage

to embrace who you truly are.

Or you can get on that train..

...and you will never know.

- Keep it moving, boys!

Let's go! Come on!

Go get ahead!

I said move up, Joao!

- Hey, hey! Whoa!

- Francis! It's yours!

Nascimento stay back!

Open your eyes!

Come on!

Get up! Let's go!

Come on! Get up!

Let's go, boy!

Wait for the formation!

- Goal!

- Hey, kid!

Get over here!

What the hell was that?

- I'm sorry.

- Do it again.

- "Santos, Cubatao,

Edson Nascimento, 4 goals."

- You the kid

that scored 4 goals?

Zito, midfielder.

Pro team.

So, uh..

You know what the best part

of scoring 4 goals is?

You get to run out

and bring me coffee.

Ancient Santos tradition.

And put some gas into it, huh?

- The youngster,

Edson Arantes do Nascimento

nicknamed Dico

moved up

to the junior team after

a few unbelievable matches

at the youth level.

Oh! What a move!

He passes one! That's another!

Now through the middle!

The shot!

- Goal!

- You're not there, kid.

That's the wrong list, Dico.

Welcome to the pros.

- From a kid who, as word

has it, was on the verge

of being cut

from the youth team.

And now, suddenly,

top scorer of the pro team

halfway through the season.

Fans now starting

to come out in hordes.

As Santos racks up the wins,

everyone eager to watch

the 15-year-old phenom

and his magical style of play.

Oh my! This kid

is something else! A fake!

Another fake!

Now he's back the other way!

He ditches off of Zito!

Back to Nascimento. He's got

himself into a pickle now!

Three defenders.

He changes direction.

No, no! Wait a minute!

He's still got the ball!

From outside the box!

Goal!

- Yes?

- Delivery for Dona Celeste.

- For me?

There must be a mistake.

- It's a gift, mae!

- Dico!

- Dico!

- Dico! Dico, Dico!

- Maria.

- Hey!

- Hey, buddy!

- It's going to be

in the kitchen.

- It's going in my room

because there's more space.

- Don't touch the stove, Maria.

- Where's the fire?

- Hey, hey, it's not a toy.

- You do realize there is

no gas in Bauru, right?

- Don't break their hearts.

We can just use it as a table.

- For you, pai!

- Hey! Whoa! Wow!

- It's a radio.

- Yeah. I know what it is.

- Now you can

listen to my games.

- Oh, no, no, not in my house.

Listen to your games?

Are you trying to give your

mother a heart attack?

- We can listen to Team Brazil

invitations tomorrow!

- Don't you listen, Zoca.

- Aah, mae!

- Besides, you have school

and your father works.

- Oh, mae!

- Does that mean nothing to you?

- Come on, Maria. I'm 16.

There's no way

I'm making the selection.

- Mm-hmm. He's right.

No point to listen..

...just to be disappointed.

- Radio Bandeirantes announces

the list of invitations

to the national selection.

22 of our very best pro players

to represent Brazil

in the 1958 World Cup

and here they are.

Gilmar. Bellini.

Djalma Santos.

Didi. Zagallo. Garrincha.

Nilton Santos.

Orlando. Zito. Vava.

Castilho and Mazzola,

who at 19 years old

would be

the youngest member selected.

But also making the list,

16-year-old Dico Nascimento.

- What's going on out there?

Dico? You look sick.

Are you okay?

- Let me get this straight.

Top scorer gets coffee?

The youngest player gets lunch?

And the shortest

cleans the showers.

- Yep. Always

the Santos traditions.

- Man.

You think maybe Zito

was making them up?

But, man, that's incredible.

You're playing with Zito

and the pro team.

- It's not the same

as with you guys.

I miss Thiago.

- Me too.

- Where's Fofinho?

- We robbed a store.

- What?

- I got away, but Fofinho

got one year in jail.

- Yuri.

- I know. I know.

It's just... you know

how things go around here.

Hey, but I've been listening

to all your games.

I still can't believe

you made the selection.

- You heard?

It's pretty much the greatest

thing that ever happened to us.

We're all going to be

pulling for you out there.

- That was a critical time

for our country, meu filho.

Ever since we lost

the cup in '50

we've become ashamed.

The spirit

of our people is dying.

But now you can change all that.

I had Yuri stitch it on for you.

- Pele?

- Yeah.

- But that's what

those rich kids

called me to make fun of me.

- No.

It's what the people called you

when they saw you

play with ginga.

And when I saw you

had something I did not.

Years ago, Dico

When I first became

a professional footballer..

...I wanted to play

with the ginga so beautiful

Brazilians would

erupt with pride.

But when I finally got my shot

I was filled with doubt.

And it ended my career.

- But why?

- Because I stopped believing.

Doubt can turn

a beautiful ginga move

into a dangerous one.

But you have to be stronger

than I was, Dico.

When people say mean things

about you and how you play

you must never feel...

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