Juergen Klopp is confident that no one is greater than Pele, but he was most impressed by the Brazilian football legend’s humility despite being one of the most famous persons in the world.
On Thursday, Pele passed away at the age of 82, and people from all walks of life mourned the passing of the only man to win the World Cup as a player three times.
Klopp stated that he did not possess even “0.01%” of Pele’s ability and recalled receiving an autographed number 10 Brazil shirt on his birthday in 2006 when he met the former striker and German great Franz Beckenbauer.
“No matter what anyone says in the future, Pele was the greatest. I will never forget that,” remarked Klopp.
“Both of them demonstrated to me that even if you are the most renowned person in the world, you can still be a completely average guy. This is what I cherish most, what I learned from, and what I will never forget.
“Because I am a Christian, therefore, this is not over. Now he will play football in a magnificent stadium alongside legendary players from the past.”
This weekend, leagues from around the world will pay tribute to Pele during their matches.
The Premier League, English Football League, and Australia’s A-League announced that they will have a minute of applause prior to games, while Spain’s LaLiga and Italy’s Serie A announced that they would observe a minute of quiet.
EFL and Premier League players will also don black armbands.
