By&nbsp;Andrew Downie
(Reuters) - Of all the headlines&nbsp;Pele&nbsp;made on the football field, few of them came close to the remarkable announcement he made off it in 1975 - when he came out of retirement to sign for a little-known U.S. club called the New York Cosmos.
Soccer in the United States was then still largely unknown, with the nascent semi-professional league still populated by wacky teams comprising Latin American janitors, American college students&nbsp;and&nbsp;European construction workers.
Pele's arrival in New York changed that, bringing fans, visibility&nbsp;and&nbsp;glamour&nbsp;for a short-lived period in which football -&nbsp;and&nbsp;not the American version - become the hottest ticket in town.
"Pele&nbsp;has elevated the game of soccer to heights never before attained in America&nbsp;and&nbsp;only&nbsp;Pele, with his status, incomparable talent&nbsp;and&nbsp;beloved compassion could have accomplished such a mission," said former President Jimmy Carter. "The United States is deeply grateful."
Pele&nbsp;joined Brazilian club Santos in 1956&nbsp;and&nbsp;spent his entire career there until retiring in 1974. But his businesses were in trouble&nbsp;and&nbsp;the idea of the&nbsp;big&nbsp;payday a return to the game would bring was highly attractive.
Talks that started in 1971 got serious in 1975, but&nbsp;Pele&nbsp;hesitated, afraid his compatriots would think him a mercenary.
He was eventually convinced to sign a multimillion dollar deal in June 1975, aided by then-Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who wrote a letter to the Brazilian government stressing how important his presence would be for bilateral relations.
The move was an instant success, with hundreds of journalists&nbsp;and&nbsp;photographers literally fighting to get a glimpse of&nbsp;Pele&nbsp;at his signing ceremony at the storied 21 Club in Manhattan.
SETTLING IN
It took the 35-year old a while to settle, but when he did the Cosmos were a force to be reckoned with.
They reached the league playoffs in 1976&nbsp;and&nbsp;then won the championship the next year, with&nbsp;Pele&nbsp;making the all-star team both years.
His arrival saw crowds soar&nbsp;and&nbsp;advertisers flock to the club. Owners Warner Communications watched with glee as celebrity fans like Robert Redford, Mick Jagger&nbsp;and&nbsp;Andy Warhol followed the Cosmos fortunes, sometimes at the stadium&nbsp;and&nbsp;often at Studio 54, the hot nightclub where New York's beautiful people gathered.
Pele's success prompted Cosmos to sign other&nbsp;big&nbsp;names, including Italian Giorgio Chinaglia, West German captain Frank Beckenbauer&nbsp;and&nbsp;Brazilian World Cup winner Carlos Alberto.
Other clubs were also forced to invest to keep up. All-time greats such as George Best, Johan Cruyff, Gordon Banks, Bobby Moore&nbsp;and&nbsp;Gerd Muller were among those who enjoyed sojourns in a league where money seemed to be no object.
However, after&nbsp;Pele&nbsp;retired in 1977 interest started to wane. The league expanded too quickly, paid salaries they couldn't afford,&nbsp;and&nbsp;crowds&nbsp;and&nbsp;sponsorship fell. The last full season was in 1984.
Pele&nbsp;never regretted his move, however. When the United States was chosen to host what turned out to be a massively successful 1994 World Cup tournament, he felt vindicated, he said.
&nbsp;
(Reporting by&nbsp;Andrew Downie, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien&nbsp;and&nbsp;Diane Craft)

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