Few people are aware that former PSL eccentric coach Walter “Mr. Fitness” Rautmann faced Pelé and Brazil in the North American Soccer League in 1975. (NASL). Rautmann vividly recalls the match.
Thursday, Pelé died of colon cancer at the age of 82.
The entire football community has been inundated with expressions of condolence and consolation.
In 1975, after leaving Moroka Swallows, Rautmann was playing for Dallas Tornado, an American soccer team based in Dallas, Texas. In the same year, Pelé joined New York Cosmos as part of his efforts to popularize the sport in the United States.
According to Rautmann, the entire world was captivated by Pelé, who was making his homecoming after leaving Santos FC in Brazil with a trophy cabinet stuffed with trophies and staggering records.
The great goal-scoring machine was the only player in the world to win three Fifa World Cups, and he was the youngest player to compete in that event at age 17.
At the time, Edson Arentes do Nascimento, or Pelé, was 35 years old and played his debut NASL match against Rautmann’s Tornado. The contest was shown worldwide on television, and our very own “Mr. Fitness” was terrified.
“He was enormous. After hearing the news of Pelé’s passing, Rautmann revealed to Sunday World, “He appeared untouchable; he was Pelé.”
“Trois large English defenders were tasked with marking him. I was playing in the midfield, and we were able to take a 2-0 lead. We were pleased to defeat Pelé and not Cosmos. The three defenders did an excellent job shadowing Pelé for 85 minutes, however. This is when his character became prominent. After leaping into the air as an infuriated Pitbull, he narrowed the gap with a fantastic bicycle kick. We believed we still held a goal advantage and desired to maintain order. But Pelé pounced once more, rising beautifully to level the score with a diving header. The audience erupted, and the game finished in a tie,” remarked Rautmann.
After the game, during a conversation with Pelé, former Hertha Berlin, Berea Park, Highlands Park, and Germiston Callies midfielder Rautmann discovered that Pelé was a human and not a god.
“He told me that if I work hard, have a passion for the game, and appreciate football, I will be successful. He suggested that we save money and create enterprises. Even after the match, he remained to practice free-kicks with his goalie, and it was then that I bowed to him in respect. At age 35, he continued to train and practice free kicks more than the younger players.
“At that time, there was not much money in the game. There were neither development structures nor quality coaching. Pelé grew up in Rio de Janeiro’s slums, but he was the greatest at dribbling, passing, scoring, and heading the ball. Imagine if he were playing right now, with all the perks and facilities available. People compare him to Lionel Messi, but I believe that Pelé was the best.”
Rautmann notes that Kaizer Motaung was one of the first South Africans to join the Atlanta Chiefs of the North American Soccer League. Rautmann followed suit, and Jomo Sono joined the Cosmos around 1977, becoming Pelé’s partner. Later, Motaung moved to Denver Dynamos, where he recruited Patrick “Ace” Ntsoelengoe and Abednigo “Shaka” Ngcobo of Kaizer Chiefs.
In the 1970s, Rautmann played with Kaizer Motaung and Shaka Ngcobo for Denver Dynamos.
Upon his return to Mzansi, Mr. Fitness went on to coach clubs like as AmaZulu, Rabali Blackpool, African Wanderers, Tembisa Classic, Swallows, and Black Leopards, where his unconventional training techniques earned him the moniker “Mr. Fitness.” One of them involved making players run through Thohoyandou, Limpopo, at midday under the hot sun.
His attitude was that you cannot survive relegation if your entire team is unfit, therefore he was able to execute a masterstroke and save numerous teams from the dreaded relegation axe.
“I would like to extend my sympathies to his family, fans, friends, and former teammates. I did not sleep when I learned of his passing; regardless of his accomplishments, he was a friend and a great man. He enjoyed interacting with children and supported opposing players. I last saw him almost eight years ago in Dubai. He was advertising a soccer program with Messi, and he remembered me and we laughed as we caught up. I pray his family finds courage in these trying times,” Rautmann added.
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Kgomotso Mokoena
»Mr. Fitness pays tribute to his former opponent Pelé«