– TV Globo producer
Special events producer of Globo Communicacao e Participacoes S.A (TV Globo) Francisco Trigo who, along with a three-man production team arrived in Guyana yesterday told local reporters that having `King’ Pele here was probably one of the biggest thing right now not only for Guyanese but for the millions of Brazilians who long just to see the face of the great footballer.
The network out of Brazil, which has won the broadcast rights for the 2016 Olympic Games, is said to be the largest in Latin America and the fourth largest in the world, just behind the US networks ABC, CBS and NBC, viewed by 120 million people daily.
Their visit here is to document Edson Arantes do Nascimento’s stay in Guyana as the guest of honour for the 20th Kashif and Shanghai Football tournament which will get on the way on Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
“Pele is the biggest idol in Brazil, the biggest ever. He was named sportsman of the century, bigger than Michael Jordan, bigger than Ronaldo and Maradona, you name them, he is the biggest sport person in the world, and you can talk about all the sports in the world. He is unbelievable, everybody wants to see him” Trigo gushed yesterday.
He said that at present, Pele lives in Brazil and it is rare for an ordinary Brazilian to even see him walking in the street or anywhere.
“Everybody wants to know what is happening to Pele, because even for us Brazilians we don’t get to see Pele. I met him a few times and every time that I met him when I go face-to-face with him, I pause for a few seconds and then I say ok it’s really him. If you want to compare, you can compare Pele with Michael Jackson or I would say he’s bigger,” the TV Globo producer noted.
Asked by Stabroek Sport what were the words conveyed by Pele when the invitation was extended by the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, Trigo said he was moved by the fact that two clubs here had patterned themselves after him and that he was more than happy that he has made such an impact on the sport.
“You should be happy to have him here…he doesn’t go to many countries. He has a full schedule. He’s a busy man and he is really looking forward to this visit. He is excited after reading the history about this tournament. Actually he didn’t know that there was a Pele club and a Santos club and I think that is one of his main agenda for the visit and to see what they are all about you know,” Trigo said.
TV Globo, Trigo says, is Brazil’s biggest TV network; watched by millions on a daily basis and that “even to the people in Brazil, this is a surprise because no one knows about this and that is why we at TV Globo are doing this. “We want to do this for the people back home because let me tell you, when we put this on the TV, millions of people will watch so we will put Guyana on there also and the football and everything.
“Guyana you have our special prize. He is Brazil’s highest award…he is our pride and our everything and I can’t stop saying how lucky you are of his visit to your country, I’m telling you because for Brazilians, Pele is their hero and even for the crew who came they too are excited about meeting this great man,” Trigo said.
Pele played 1,363 matches and scored 1,281 goals in his career, and this stands as a world record today.
He is also an ambassador for FIFA and is Brazil’s all time goal scorer, winning three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970), wearing 92 caps and scoring 97 goals.
