ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: The year was 1971. And America was making its first official push into the world of soccer. In a country where baseball and American football reigned supreme, the managers of the New York Cosmos turned to sports legend, Pele.
No ordinary footballer, this three-time world cup winner took America by storm and carved an unlikely spot of soccer in the U.S. After Pele's three hugely successful seasons with the Cosmos in the '70s, the club and the league fell into decline and dissolved in 1985.
Today, 34 years after Pele hung up his boots, millions around the globe still admire the talent he showed during his career. So much so that now, under new management, the New York Cosmos are making a comeback and have turned to the soccer superstar for help once again.
We caught up with Pele in Hong Kong on his promotional tour of Asia with the Cosmos.
COREN: Well, Pele, welcome to "Talk Asia".
PELE, NEW YORK COSMOS HONORARY PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. My pleasure.
COREN: It's great to have you with us. Now it's been three decades since you retired from your illustrious career. And, to this day, you are still considered the world's greatest football player. How does that feel?
PELE: That's a big responsibility, you know? This was a gift from God. And I try to be at my best. I try to respect people. I try to prepare myself. I try to be always in good shape, you know? The most important -- respect for people.
COREN: You spent your career playing for the Brazilian club, Santos. But, before you hung up your boots completely, you spent a couple of years with the New York Cosmos. Tell me, you are here in Hong Kong to represent that club -- to revive it. What is your involvement?
PELE: When I retired with Santos, I was already champion of the world in the '70s in Mexico. In '74, Santos was champion in Sao Paulo from the league. I was the best scorer for the league. Then, I retire, and at that time I had a lot of propose to go to play in Europe. You know, England, Italy, Spain, Mexico, but I say "no". After 18 years old, I want to rest, because I was going to retire.
Then appeared the propose to, you know, go to New York because they want to make the soccer big in the United States. That was the reason, you know, I come back to play. Then I start my mission and now I am here because of this, you know? Because we're going to revive the New York Cosmos. To me, is a fun task, because I start with New York Cosmos and become a very big sport in the United States, and now we come back.
COREN: Because you joined the New York Cosmos in 1975 and only for two years, but I believe that the U.S. secretary of state at the time, Henry Kissinger, personally called you and begged you to join the team, because they wanted to make football great in the United States and the knew the only person who could do that was you.
PELE: Yes, that was a big responsibility, because say then, "oh my God, what I going to do in New York?" The team was a very young team. Most were university players, you know, college players. But we became very well known.
COREN: Soccer has never been -- or I should call it football -- has never been as popular in the United States as in South America or Europe. Do you think it will ever become as popular?
PELE: Well, I think soccer is very popular. No doubt, because you have a lot of foreigners there. You have a German, you'll have Latins, Europeans, in the United States. Then, it is very popular. I think, to talk about the pro level, because then you compete with American football, with baseball, and with basketball -- then it's a little complicated, but the United States almost came to the finals. Last two World Cup, the United States did very well, you know?
And then, to talk about the game -- talk about pastime, soccer is the best pastime for the young in the United States. Since I was there from eight years old and from 18 to 19-years-old. The biggest pastime is soccer for the girls. The girls in the United States, they are known the best in the world. Then it is very important to continue with my mission.
COREN: Pele, what is the greatest match you have ever played?
