Bayern boss wanted Pelé-the legend was so close to the change!

Bayern boss wanted Pelé-the legend was so close to the change!

Wieskirche, Pfaffenwinkel, Deutschland - On June 28, 2025, FC Bayern Munich will play its round of 16 of the club World Cup against Flamengo in the USA. This is a significant meeting, since it is only the second time that Munichers compete with a Brazilian club. The first great success against Brazil took place in 1976 when Bavaria won 2-0 and 0-0 against Cruezeiro Belo Horizonte in the World Cup. In the meantime, the Brazilian teams Atlético Mineiro and Palmeiras failed in 2013 and 2020 in the semi-finals of the mini-club World Cup, such as [absolutfussball.com](https://www.absolutfussball.com/deutschland/fc-bayern-muenchen/kein-witz-frueherer-praesident-wollte-brasilianische-legende-pele-zum-fc-bayern-holen-zr-93806851.html) berichtet.

The story of Brazilian players at FC Bayern goes back to 1991 when Bernardo was hired. However, many combine little fame with him, because he is considered one of the weakest players in the long history of the Bundesliga. Nevertheless, it was a step in the right direction that culminated with the legendary players Giovane Élber, Zé Roberto and Lúcio, who bought the Bayern jersey between 1997 and 2009. Jorginho, who became world champion in 1994, left the club after only two and a half years. This moving story always drives fans to learn more about the club and its legends.

Pelé and FC Bayern

An exciting turn in the history of the club is the hypothesis that the Brazilian legend Pelé could have come to FC Bayern in 1966. Roland Endler, the then President of the club, had made Pelé an offer. However, the star felt comfortable in Brazil and later looked for his luck at Cosmos New York. In an interview from 2012, Pelé confirmed the preservation of a specific offer from Bavaria, but emphasized that he preferred to stay in his home country. This was a time when Pelé not only considered a athlete, but also as an unsalable national sanctuary in Brazil, such as [Abendzeitung.de] (https://www.abendzeitung-muenchen.de/sport/az-s----fussball-legend-pele- and-die-die-Art-869521).

As early as 1966, Pelé held a special moment during a visit to Germany in the Wieskirche in the Pfaffenwinkel. Around 30 reporters were present to take photos while Pelé prayed there. Despite his popularity, the relationship between Pelé and the Brazilian elite was ambivalent, especially in the political situation after the military coup in 1964. Even after this turbulence, Pelé remained a sought -after advertising medium and compared himself in an interview with artists such as Beethoven and Michelangelo - an interesting view that makes it clear how he saw his influence in football.

The football legend in memories

pelé is often imagined as part of a dream elf in heaven, along with other football legends. His career, which took place with breathtaking 567 goals in 583 competitive games near Santos (1956 to 1974), is not only characterized by top sporting performance, but also by his remarkable personality. He is often accused of a certain submissiveness towards the prevailing elite, which is not least due to the partly critical statements of his compatriots, as Paulo Cesar Lima, which Pelé described as "submissive". But his inheritance remains undisputed, and the discussions about his work in football and beyond will be managed for a long time.