Did Pele Really Stop The War? Today we will hear the story of Pele Stopping War . Yes, People were so eager to watch his game that they did not hesitate to stop the war. Pele is one of the most popular players in football history. It is believed that this player played the biggest role in spreading football around the world. Even those who do not know the pulse of football, know this legendary Brazilian. People were so eager to watch his game that they did not hesitate to stop the war.
Santos In 60’s
In the sixties, Brazilian club Santos became a South American superpower. During that time they won 5 consecutive Brazilian championships, two Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup titles. They also beat European powerhouses Benfica and AC Milan in the Intercontinental Cup. Pele Really Stop The War The main star of that Santos team was the legendary number ten Pele. Wherever he played, thousands of spectators gathered to watch him. However, in 1961, the Brazilian government passed a law declaring Pele a national treasure and permanently banning him from being sold to any club outside the country. As a result, it was only possible to see Pele playing in Brazil and Santos jerseys. And Santos accepted this opportunity. They went on a world tour with Pele and played exhibition matches in different countries for money. They toured the United States in 1966, Italy and Germany in 1967 and Argentina in 1968.
Pele Arrived In War Effected Pele
In early 1969, Santos arrived in Nigeria. At that time, Nigeria was in a civil war for two years. Two million innocent people lost their lives in this civil war between the Nigerian government and the separatist rebel group, “Biafra”. 4.5 million people are homeless. In such bloody circumstances, Pele arrived in Lagos, the capital of Nigeria. Pele Really Stop The War According to conventional wisdom, when Santos appeared in Lagos, the rebels’ guns fell silent. The two armies declared a ceasefire for 48 hours.
Pele’s team entered the field on January 26, 1969. The stadium was filled to see this famous player. The Benin Bridge was opened, so that people from rebel areas could also come to watch the game. Pele did not disappoint the audience packed to the brim of the stadium. His two goals earned Santos a 2-2 draw with Nigeria. The second goal came from a great free kick. Pele and his teammates left Nigeria by plane immediately after the match.
Pele Stopped The War?
However, there is a debate as to whether Nigeria actually stopped the war for Pele. Because, nothing was written about this in the Nigerian newspapers at that time. Pele did not write about this in his autobiography either. This incident is written only on the Santos website. A later Times magazine report on the incident fueled the myth that Pele had stopped the Nigerian civil war. To play in such a way where the big stars shun battle shows the greatness of Pele.
