A Soccer Players Influence on the World

Soccer is a team sport that is played in almost every country in the world. It has produced many famous players that have not only become the top in their chosen sport but have also had far reaching effects on their communities and the world as a whole.

One such player’s name is synonymous with the game of soccer. Pele is without question the most famous soccer player the world has ever known. You can ask anyone in any country and they will know who he is. He played soccer for Brazil from 1956 through 1974 during which time he helped bring his team to 3 World Cup Championships. The most famous of which was the 1958 game where he scored 2 goals in Brazils 4 to 2 victory over Sweden. He retired in 1974 but gained even more acclaim when he came out of retirement to join a blossoming new league in the United States. He played 2 years for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League leading them to a NASL championship.

Another such soccer player is Argentinian born Diego Maradona. He is considered in his home land to be the equivalent of Babe Ruth here in the United States. His partying ways and charming demeanor in no way effected his ability to dominate in his chosen sport. As a midfielder, his most famous moment came in a 1986 Quarterfinal match between Argentina and England where his 2 goals helped bring his team victory.

It is people such as Pele and Maradona that can use their fame to help influence the lives of so many in their country. Their stories bring hope to children and teens. Hearing and seeing what these men came from and what they were able to accomplish shows these children that it is possible to lead a productive and successful life no matter what the circumstances of you childhood or up bringing.

Everyone wants to leave their mark on the world. Some choose to do it in a negative way by disobeying rules and flaunting the law and it seems as if these are the people that are seen every day on television and in newspapers. It is the people such as Pele and Maradona who chose a different path and achieved great success in their life despite difficult situations. These are the men that the youth of not only America but the entire world can look up to.