When former New York Yankees reliever, Mariano Rivera was ecstatic to meet soccer legend Pele during the 2014 FIFA World Cup
Mariano Rivera is probably the greatest closer in MLB history. He is a legend that others look up to, but he revealed that the one he looked up to was Pele. This was evident in the FIFA World Cup Finals on July 12.
Mariano Rivera says I was the person that he wanted to meet the most. And the only person he hasn't met......until today.
"Mariano Rivera says I was the person that he wanted to meet the most. And the only person he hasn't met ...until today" said Edson Arantes (Pele)
When Mariano Rivera and Pele met during the 2014 World Cup, Mariana admitted to Pele that he was the person Mariano wanted to meet the most but never could. The former Yankees star has always admired Arantes and on that day, Rivera's wish finally came true.
Mariano Rivera reveals the athlete he first idolized as a child, and it was NOT a baseball player... 😲 https://t.co/XfvG4qFnXQ
In an interview with the YES Network regarding his Hall of Fame placement. Rivera admitted that even though he loved baseball, he didn't have a favorite player. The pitcher said that the one player he wanted to be was Pele.
Mariano explained that he wanted to be a soccer player, just like his childhood hero. However, he is grateful to God for pushing him away from soccer and towards baseball.
Fans of MLB can only be grateful that the legend decided to stick to baseball and didn't follow his idol into soccer. Because if he had, the world of MLB would have lost one of its best pitchers, Mariano Rivera.
Mariano Rivera was the highest-paid relief pitcher in baseball
In 2007, Rivera signed a deal with the Yankees, making him the highest-paid relief pitcher.
The star pitcher signed a $45 million contract with the Yankees for a duration of 3 years. The Yankees were adamant about keeping Mariano Rivera with them. This decision brought nothing but fortune to the franchise.
Mariano is a 13-time All-Star and a five-time winner of the World Series. His stats are amazing and speak for themselves. His win-loss record is 80-62, a respectable number. His average is 2,21, and his saves are 652. His strikeout stat is 1,173.
He was also a World Series MVP in 1999 and a three-time MLB saves leader. Mariano Rivera is someone who has had a majority of people agree to his induction into the Hall of Fame. Although he is retired, he will forever be the best pitcher for his fans and followers.