With world cup nostalgia beginning to surge across the media you might have been watching all that retina-etchingly vivid footage of Mexico '70 and thought to yourself, "I wonder where that promising young lad, Pelé is now?"
Well, dear Londonist reader, wonder no more! The world's equal best footballer of the last century (it's complicated... ask Fifa and Diego Maradona) is making himself available to shake you by the hand in the capital this very month and all he asks is that you purchase a copy of his autobiography from one of several shops that he'll be gracing with his regal presence.
Londonist is currently aware of three such events:
Virgin Megastores Piccadilly on Thursday 18 May at 6.00pm
Waterstone's, 311 Oxford Street on Sunday 21st May, at 4.30pm
Books etc., Jubilee Place, 45 Bank St, Canary Wharf between 12:30 and 1:30 pm on Monday 22nd May
The blurb for the Virgin Megastore event informs us:
"This is a ticket only event. You can buy the book and get your ticket, which is available on a first come first served basis to personal callers only, from Monday 15 May at Virgin Megastores Piccadilly. 1 ticket per person.
A limited number of tickets will also be held back until just prior to the signing and given to those in Brazilian tops."
If you do go, on no account ask him who'll win the world cup. He'll say England. He always says the most appropriate country for his perceived audience. Oh, go on, then, test him out, but it seems like a waste of an opportunity to us. Why not instead ask him who'd play him in a film of his life or whether, when he once played in goal, he was better than Sylvester Stallone in "Escape to Victory".
If you know of any further chances to acquire the signature of the Brazilian footballing legend in London this month, or if you do indeed ask him any of the above questions, leave us a comment or drop us a line.
Photo of Pelé's wax counterpart via Fleury's Flickr stream.
