Only Once - Play Soccer with Pelé

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé. To play soccer with the "world’s best football player" only once – this is a dream for many young and old soccer players, amateurs and professionals.

For Fabio, a boy from Brazil – this dream has come true. Together with other children, he was invited to Pelé’s home. The ten-year-old lost his hearing due to an infection with meningitis and goes to a Instituto Santa Theresinha school for the deaf in Sao Paulo, a project supported by Christian Blind Mission (CBM).

At Pelé’s home things were quite turbulent – first, the soccer champion had to "say" a sentence in sign language: "Brazil will be world champion". Then the great moment was there for Fabio: The soccer star, who dominated the world’s football for 15 years since the World Championships 1958 in Sweden, and who shot 100 goals per football season, played soccer with Fabio and his friends. When he had been a child, the Brazilian played with a football made of socks, because his family didn’t have the money for a football made of leather. Then, he acquired the pen name "Pelé" – from his football-friends.

Today, Pelé looks back to a long career as a soccer player. His wife Assiria is a well-known singer in Brazil, and she has told him also about the work of CBM – especially about the eye hospital in Recife, Brazil, where about 1000 people receive treatment per day.

Pelé's engagement for people with disabilities is most appreciated - especially by one boy from Brazil. When he met Fabio, Pelé was sure that: "I am a member of the CBM-team. Please help us."

A film team accompanied the children, who visited Pelé in May 2006, and produced the video files below. Assiria, Pelé's wife, has contributed the background music.