Sept. 29, 2007

Lacey, Wash. -

by Gail Wood, The Olympian sports department

With his famous last name, Matt Pele routinely gets a sideways glance and a "Do you play soccer?" from people he's just met.

That's the burden of sharing a name with a man who is simply known by his nickname, Pele - Brazilian soccer player Edson Arantes do Nascimento, who retired in 1977 and is now considered soccer's ambassador to the world.

"People always want to know if I'm related," said Matt Pele, a starting midfielder on the Western Washington University men's soccer team. "I'm always quick to point out that he's Brazilian and black."

Matt Pele is from Kennewick and is white.

Pele - Matt, that is - and his famous last name will be in Lacey today as the Western Washington and Saint Martin's soccer teams meet in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match.

Actually, Matt Pele pronounces his last name "Pell-ee."

"Even when I tell people that, they still say Pele," the senior said. "I gave up a long time ago."

He often becomes the target of opposing fans and players during soccer games.

"It doesn't happen as often as you'd think, because I'd totally use it," Pele said. "Usually, it's the California schools who let me have it."

Ironically, it wasn't Pele's name that first drew the attention of Western Washington's coach Travis Connell.

"Actually, I saw him play first, then I saw his name," Connell said. "He's a very talented player."

Connell has heard fans and players ride Pele about his famous last name.

"There's definitely a ribbing," the Western coach said. "The opposing fans have some fun. But that stuff never gets to Matt. He's totally in the zone."

Pele said it was the game of soccer and not his last name that steered him toward soccer.

"I've always loved soccer," the 6-foot-4 Pele said. "My dad tried to get me to play football. I guess I could have been a pretty good tight end, but I was always more interested in soccer."

It's a family trend. Pele's older brother played soccer at the University of Evansville in Indiana, and his younger sister is playing at the University of Washington.

Saint Martin's, a first-year program, has lost five straight after winning two of its first five games. The Saints are 0-2 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and have been shut out in both conference games, losing 1-0 to Seattle Pacific and 2-0 to Montana State Billings.

Daniel Palermo and Jacob Dupuis lead the Saints with one goal and one assist each. Goalkeeper Zac Lubin is giving up 2.35 goals per game.

Western is 5-4 and is coming off a 2-1 win against Grand Canyon. Pele scored the winning goal with less than three minutes to play.