Pelé Cup
The Pelé Cup (Copa Pelé), also referred to as the Small Football World Championship for Seniors (Mundialito de Seniors) or Seniors World Championship (Mundial de Seniors), World Cup for Masters (Mundialito de Masters) or Veterans World Cup or World Cup veterans -Cup (Copa Mundial de Másters), was a football tournament of former world champions that took place every two years between 1987 and 1995. However, there were a total of six tournaments, since an additional tournament was held in 1990 (Zico Cup). Until 1991 the tournaments were organized by the Brazilian radio company Rede Bandeirantes , from 1993 the International Federation of Master Football took over.
Initially, only players from former world championship teams or former national players from those countries that had become world champions were invited. An all-British team competed for England in 1989. From 1990 and 1993, there were also nations that were not world champions. From 1991, five to six teams in one group became eight teams in two groups. Third place matches were only played in 1990 and 1991.
| 1987 January 4-8 in Brazil |
1989 January 15 - February 2 in Brazil |
1990 10-24 January in Brazil |
1991 18th - 27th January in the US |
1993 2nd-11th July in Italy |
1995 June 23rd - July 2nd in Austria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brazil
|
Brazil ( tournament winner ) |
Brazil ( tournament winner ) |
Brazil ( tournament winner ) |
Brazil
|
Brazil ( tournament winner ) |
 Argentina ( tournament winner ) |
Argentina
|
Argentina
|
Argentina
|
Argentina
|
Argentina
|
 Italy
|
Italy
|
Italy
|
Italy
|
Italy ( tournament winner ) |
Italy
|
 Germany
|
Germany
|
Germany
|
Germany
|
Germany
|
|
 Uruguay
|
Uruguay
|
Uruguay
|
Uruguay
|
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 Great Britain |
 England
|
England
|
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 Netherlands |
Netherlands |
Netherlands
|
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 Poland |
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 Austria |
Austria
|
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 France
|
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 Portugal
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The minimum age of the players was 34 years, in contrast to the regular soccer World Cup, up to five substitutions per game were possible. The sports journalist Luciano do Valle, who works for Rede Bandeirantes, led the Brazilian team around Pelé , Zico , Rivelino , Adão & Co. to four tournaments as a coach and manager . The veterans from Argentina (with Ardiles , Mas , Babington , Felman, Gonzalez etc.) and the old masters from Italy trained by Enzo Bearzot (including Causio ) each won the tournament once. For Germany u. a. Paul Breitner , for Austria a. a. Herbert Prohaska , Hans Krankl and Walter Schachner .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f Berliner Zeitung of January 5, 1987: About "Copa Pele" in Brazil
- ↑ German Sportecho on Monday January 19, 1987, page 4
- ↑ a b The new football week 3/87 from January 20, 1987, page 15
- ↑ a b c The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation: Pelé World Cup