海角大神

If soccer is the sport that unites Brazilians across extreme economic, racial, and social inequalities, it鈥檚 Edson Arantes do Nascimento, the forward best known as Pel茅, who acted as the glue.

As thousands of Brazilians made the pilgrimage to say goodbye to Pel茅 during his 24-hour public wake in the southeastern Brazilian city of Santos this week, most memories, whether of his more than听1,200听goals scored or his key role in winning three World Cup titles for Brazil, were inseparable from his impact off the pitch.

A poor Black child who used to shine shoes, Pel茅 had a rise to stardom in the late 1950s that included overcoming acute racial and economic barriers. Before he came to define the beauty of soccer for fans around the globe, few Black athletes were even allowed to play in private clubs or for Brazil鈥檚 international team, which nominally opened to Black players in听the 1920s.

鈥淲e are constantly told that we are not capable, that we are not good enough, that we can鈥檛 do this or we can鈥檛 do that,鈥� says Tatiana Marcela Vicente, a lawyer from S茫o Paulo who traveled to Santos with her sister to pay respects to Pel茅. The two were too young to witness his magic on the field firsthand, but they grew up hearing about his artful passes and how he blazed trails for Black children like them, she says.

Pel茅 鈥渃ould do everything. He showed us that we are equal, that we are capable,鈥� Ms. Vicente says.

But decades later, many of the harsh realities he overcame still exist. The number of people going hungry in Brazil has jumped from 19.1 million in 2020 to 33.1 million in 2022. Welfare programs aimed at keeping children in school and providing housing to poor people were slashed over the past four years, under the outgoing far-right government. Black Brazilians are nearly three times more likely to be victims of police violence, while Black youth account for over 70% of school dropouts.

Even as Brazilians mourn Pel茅, his death has spurred a moment of collective reflection on what his staying power says about obstacles for Black and poor Brazilians today, and how his life story can continue to inspire concrete change.

鈥淚t is very difficult at this moment for us to lose a figure like him precisely because of this symbolism,鈥� says Thiago Andr茅, creator and host of the Brazilian podcast 鈥淏lack History.鈥� But, 鈥渆ven in his death, Pel茅 is inspiring us to reflect about the Brazil of the past, the Brazil of the present, and what kind of听Brazil we want in the future.鈥�

Breaking down barriers

Pel茅 first came to Santos F.C. as a scrawny teenager in the 1950s, with his athleticism and creativity quickly setting him apart from his peers. Just two years later, at the age of 17, he led Brazil to its first World Cup victory, scoring two goals in the final and cementing the country鈥檚 place on the world stage.

Pel茅鈥檚 rise to global stardom captured the public imagination, quickly making him a hero to the millions of poor Black Brazilians who saw in him the possibility of less disparate treatment in the future.

鈥淲hat we saw Pel茅 doing, nobody else had done before,鈥� says Ronaldo George Helal, a sociologist and coordinator of the Sport and Culture Research Group at Rio de Janeiro State University. Pel茅 鈥渢urned into a symbol against racism.鈥�

Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery, in 1888. Racism and prejudice continued to vex the country 鈥� both in society and in sport 鈥� despite more than half the population being Black.

When Brazil lost the World Cup in Rio de Janeiro鈥檚 Maracan茫 stadium in 1950, the Black goalkeeper alone was blamed for the defeat and it ended his career.听Four years later, one of the country鈥檚 top soccer officials said Brazil would never win a World Cup with Black players on the squad.

When Pel茅 came along, transforming Brazil into a soccer powerhouse, the narrative began to change, says Juarez听Xavier, a Black rights activist and professor at S茫o Paulo State University in Bauru, where Pel茅 started playing soccer.

This legacy still looms large among fans. 鈥淔or me, there is a Brazil before Pel茅 and a Brazil after Pel茅,鈥� says Guilherme Monteiro, a history teacher from S茫o Paulo. 鈥淎 Black man getting as far as he did, in a country with such a history of slavery, is so symbolic.鈥�

鈥淲e began to have hope because of Pel茅,鈥� says Silvana Aparecida Alves de Souza Cruz, a homemaker clad in a black-and-white Santos shirt. 鈥淲e saw people like us could also succeed.鈥�

鈥淧ossibility of a different Brazil鈥�

Despite advances on the pitch, changes off the field have been slow to come. Inequalities have been exacerbated in Brazil by a painful economic crisis: More than 15% of the population is now going hungry, and white Brazilians earn nearly double that of Black or multiracial Brazilians, according to the national statistics agency.

鈥淟ife has become harder for the Black population鈥� in recent years, says Dr. Xavier.

Brazil had far-reaching success in reducing racial and economic disparities in the early 2000s. Under the government of leftist President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva, referred to simply as Lula, inclusive policies were introduced to tackle deep-seated challenges, like university quotas and generous spending on housing, education, and anti-hunger programs.

But many of these advances have unraveled amid a deepening economic crisis, soaring unemployment, and cuts to public spending on affordable housing and education. Police violence against Black Brazilians rose 5.8% between 2020 and 2021, accounting for 84% of all Brazilians killed by police. This is even as overall police killings eased by 5% over the same period, from a record 6,412 in 2020, and the killings of white Brazilians declined by nearly a third.

鈥淚n Pel茅, many saw the possibility of a different Brazil,鈥� says Dr. Xavier. 鈥淏ut having a hero alone doesn鈥檛 change reality for the Black population, and it doesn鈥檛 improve living conditions for Black people.鈥�

Still, many Brazilians see a glimmer of hope in the return of Lula, who was inaugurated as president on Jan. 1, beginning his third, nonconsecutive term after narrowly defeating Jair Bolsonaro听last听fall.

Lula has promised to restore government programs that combat hunger and social inequality, vowing to once again help lift millions out of poverty.

鈥淲e are committed to fighting, day and night, all forms of inequality. In terms of income, gender, and race. Inequality between those who throw food away and those who only eat leftovers,鈥� Lula said in his inauguration speech last weekend.听

Lula has also signaled plans to run a more inclusive government, appointing a host of Black and Indigenous ministers to his Cabinet. In a symbolic move, a Black garbage collector handed the presidential sash to Lula on inauguration day. She was meant to represent the Brazilian population passing the torch, though the role is typically reserved for the outgoing president (Mr. Bolsonaro fled for Florida just days before the transition of power).

Two days after his inauguration, Lula arrived at the Santos stadium to pay his respects. Outside, hundreds of fans erupted in cheers, both for their new president and for their soccer hero. Some threw their hands up in an 鈥淟鈥� sign, a symbol of support for the leftist. 鈥淟ula is our president! Pel茅 is our king!鈥� the crowd chanted.

Ta铆sa听Julio Vicente, a听high school听teacher in S茫o Paulo, traveled to say goodbye to Pel茅 with her sister,听the lawyer. She fought back tears while waiting in line to see Pel茅鈥檚 casket: His legacy in Brazil feels ever-present in her own life. When she searches for ways to keep her mostly poor, Black students engaged in the classroom, she often turns to his story.

鈥淚 teach adolescents. How many Black boys do we have who are completely hopeless?鈥� says Ms. Vicente. 鈥淚t鈥檚 necessary to have an idol, to have someone to look up to, who gives you hope,鈥� she says.

鈥淧el茅 is resistance.鈥�