Pele Blames Coach for Brazil's Early Exit

Carlos Alberto Parreira was mainly to blame for Brazil's failure to justify their favorites tag at the World Cup finals, Brazilian legend Pele said on Monday.

Pele told daily newspaper O Globo he hoped their exit in the quarter-finals to bogey team France would act as a lesson for future campaigns for the five-time champions.

"The expectations from the whole of the world placed on the Brazilians was enormous," said Pele, a World Cup winner in 1958, '62 and '70. "The psychological pressure, too little time to prepare physically and the lack of strategy on the pitch did not help them.

"I really hope that this unexpected defeat will be a big lesson for the next World Cups," he added.

Though Pele refused to single out Parreira or any individual player he did say that the top players had failed to put in the performances and be motivated the way Brazil needed.

"The feebleness of the best players at the most important moments did not help," said Pele, who added that despite a poor campaign Barcelona ace Ronaldinho remained the best player in the world.

However, Pele recalled that before the finals he had said the favorite for the World Cup never takes the biggest prize of them all.

"That was always my biggest fear because in 1974 The Netherlands were favorites but West Germany won," he said. "In 1982, Brazil with coach Tele Santana and a superb squad were favorites, but it was Italy who won.

"Unfortunately here in Germany, it was the same thing, but there again that may be a coincidence."