In a modest room located within a historic Mexico City convention complex, visitors can delve into football history: the preserved quarters where Pelé slept before leading Brazil to their third World Cup title in 1970.
As Mexico prepares to kick off the tournament for a record third time this Thursday against South Africa in , the exhibition at the headquarters of the Inter-American Conference on Social Security (CISS) offers a nostalgic link to one of the World Cup’s most celebrated moments.
The room took on new meaning with the tournament’s return to Mexico, reconnecting the country with Brazil’s iconic 4-1 victory over Italy in the 1970 final, which cemented Pelé’s legendary status.
“Brazil spent most of the tournament in Guadalajara and only came to the final against Italy,” Pedro Kumamoto, secretary general of the CISS, told Reuters.
“The question was where to accommodate the Brazilian team. Everyone wanted a photo, a greeting, an autograph, a handshake from Pelé. The king himself slept here.”
Built in 1963 for diplomatic meetings, the complex was chosen as a safe haven from the crowds attracted by Pelé’s global fame. The exhibition now features period furniture, objects from the 1970 World Cup and a working television showing images of Brazil’s triumph.
Local memories of the football icon’s stay remain vivid more than five decades later.
“I recently met a neighbor who was six or seven years old when Pelé came here and is now close to 70,” Kumamoto said. “He remembered him as a very approachable and warm person. He said Pelé would sign autographs until he couldn’t anymore and spent a lot of time with fans outside.”
The balcony where Pelé greeted fans still offers a view of the field, without any changes.
“There is also a beautiful story about the balcony where Pelé came out to greet the fans,” Kumamoto said. “It’s still the same balcony, the same place, with the echo of history on its walls.”
More than half a century after the , the transformed museum preserves a chapter of World Cup history as football’s biggest event returns to Mexico once again.
