PODCAST
In 1971, the PSG is at the party. The club is celebrating its first year of existence. Above all, it can boast of entering the big league: the first division, and with it the world of pros, historic clubs, well-oiled winning machines. To face this challenge, the club relies heavily on the recruitment of new players. At the time, Guy Crescent, vice-president of Paris Saint-Germain, considered all the possibilities: "We need to gain experience (...) We know that the public in Paris is a public that loves the players of extreme quality. (…) But allow me to remain very discreet ", he entrusts then to the antenna of Europe n ° 1.
But very quickly, an incredible rumor spreads, relates Julien Froment in the third episode of the podcast "Associate n ° 1, the birth of a big club in Paris", produced by Europe 1 Studio. PSG would be on the verge of recruiting a legend: Pelé!
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An agreement reached with Brazil
In fact, contacts were made in June between the president of the Brazilian club of Santos where Pelé plays and Guy Crescent, the vice-president of PSG. The Brazilians have a big cash flow problem. Pelé, although aging, remains their goose that lays golden eggs. Three World Cup victories, you can change it. And expensive. But we have to act quickly, it's a unique opportunity. Guy Crescent continued negotiations by telephone with his Brazilian counterpart and miraculously obtained an agreement in principle!
The negotiations continued for several weeks. The vice-president of PSG goes back and forth with Brazil. The idea is to land Pelé in Paris like a rockstar.
Joël rather than Pelé
But on D-Day, at the airport, the scenario does not go as planned. A Brazilian player gets off the cabin well. But it's not Pelé. It's Joel! At the last moment, Pelé said no. He declined the invitation of Paris Saint-Germain because Americans offered him better elsewhere. His wife preferred. So Guy Crescent brought with him, as in consolation, the famous Joel, world champion in 1970 with Pelé ...
The problem is, the midfielder is in poor shape. When he arrives at PSG, he is barely recovering from a serious accident. Besides, it will never shine. However, Joel will remain the first Brazilian to have played for Paris Saint-Germain… on one leg. Two small matches and then go!
This Brazilian flop will not prevent Paris Saint-Germain from reinforcing its team and holding the shock of the D1. A few years later, the club will even take its revenge by recruiting in 2017 a real Brazilian star this time: Neymar!