Letter IV: The Legends of the World Cup
Dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd,
As the World Cup moves towards its final stages, something special begins to happen. The tournament stops being only about teams, tactics, and points. It becomes a stage for extraordinary individuals. Some players perform so brilliantly that they are remembered long after they retire. Their goals are watched again and again. Their stories are told to children who were not even born when they played.
These are the legends of the World Cup.
One of the earliest and greatest was Pelé of Brazil. He was only seventeen years old when he helped Brazil win the World Cup in 1958. Imagine a boy not much older than a high-school student becoming the hero of an entire nation! Pelé played with joy, speed, imagination, and confidence. He remains the only player to have been part of three World Cup-winning teams. His acrobatic style, dazzling dribbling, and spectacular goals made football seem less like a game and more like a form of art.
Years later came Diego Maradona of Argentina, one of the most gifted and controversial players the game has ever seen. In the 1986 World Cup, he produced two goals in the same match against England that could not have been more different. The first was scored with his hand, unnoticed by the referee. The second came after he dribbled past almost the entire opposing team before scoring. One goal became famous for breaking the rules; the other became famous for showing football genius at its very best.
Another giant of the game was Franz Beckenbauer of Germany. Nicknamed “The Kaiser,” he changed the way defenders played football. Most defenders were expected merely to stop attacks. Beckenbauer showed that defenders could also begin attacks and control the game. He later achieved something very few people have done: winning the World Cup both as a player and as a coach.
Then came Zinedine Zidane of France, who seemed to glide across the field with calm elegance. He could control the pace of a match almost as if he were conducting an orchestra. In the 1998 World Cup final, he scored two memorable goals with his head and led France to its first World Cup triumph. For many football lovers, Zidane represented grace under pressure.
Brazil then produced another phenomenon—Ronaldo, often called “Ronaldo Nazário” to distinguish him from Cristiano Ronaldo. He possessed explosive speed and astonishing finishing ability. After suffering serious injuries that many thought would end his career, he returned to lead Brazil to victory in the 2002 World Cup. His comeback became one of the most inspiring stories in sporting history.
In more recent times, two names have dominated football conversations across the globe: Lionel Messi of Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. Though very different in style, both have inspired millions. Messi is known for his magical control of the ball and his ability to make the impossible seem effortless. Ronaldo is admired for his discipline, athleticism, and determination. Children often debate which of them is greater, but perhaps the better answer is that football was fortunate to witness both.
Messi’s own World Cup story is particularly remarkable. For many years, critics said he could never be considered truly great unless he won the World Cup. He came close several times and suffered heartbreaking defeats. Then, in 2022, he finally led Argentina to victory and lifted the trophy, completing one of football’s most satisfying stories.
The World Cup has also produced some astonishing records. Miroslav Klose of Germany scored more World Cup goals than any other player in history. Pelé remains the youngest player ever to win a World Cup. Brazil has won more World Cups than any other nation. And Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have played in more World Cup matches than any other footballer. These records remind us that greatness can take many forms—youth, consistency, skill, courage, or simply the ability to perform when the pressure is greatest.
Yet records tell only part of the story. What makes these players unforgettable is not merely the number of goals they scored or trophies they won. It is the excitement they brought to the game. They made people leap from their seats, hold their breath, and believe that something extraordinary might happen at any moment.
And that brings us to the World Cup that we are watching today.
Somewhere among the hundreds of players competing in this tournament may be a future legend. It could be a young striker scoring important goals. It could be a midfielder whose passes unlock every defence. It could even be a goalkeeper making impossible saves. Right now, nobody knows.
That is one of the great joys of watching the World Cup. We are not only watching history. We may also be watching the beginning of a new chapter in football history.
Many years from now, children may read about the heroes of this World Cup just as we read today about Pelé, Maradona, Zidane, Ronaldo, Messi, and Beckenbauer.
And perhaps one day, when someone asks you about the great legends of football, you will be able to say, “I watched some of them when their story was just beginning.”
Lots of love,
Dadu
scribo ad LX 