Pele declines Brazil national manager role

11 September 2014 15:12

Three-time World Cup winner Pele claims to have been offered the job of Brazil's national manager in July, right after their shameful 7-1 loss against Germany in the semi-finals on home soil. What a surprise that would have been, had he accepted. However, the ‘greatest player of all time’ reportedly refused because he did not want to take the risk of letting the Selecao down. The 73-year-old living legend had already declined the role several times in the past, and it seems he will not change his mind in the foreseeable future.

So in August, Brazil appointed Dunga, also a World Cup winner, as Scolari’s successor, after already serving from 2006 to 2010, leading the Divine Canaries to titles in the 2007 Copa America and the Confederations Cup two years later, and reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup in South Africa. Would he make a fitting manager for the 5-time world champions, or did he refuse the job to avoid losing face in the eyes of his adoring fans? Would it even be wise to give such an important task to someone past his seventies and without any coaching experience, however great a footballer he was?

Source: DSG