In the world of sports, sneaker endorsements have become a norm for top-tier athletes. It's almost expected that any blue-chip prospect entering major sports leagues will have a lucrative deal with a sneaker company.

However, the landscape was quite different in the early days of Puma and Adidas back in the 1960s. Athlete endorsements were viewed as a significant risk. As sneakers became a cultural phenomenon, the shoes athletes chose to wear became crucial for the advertising strategies of Puma and Adidas.

As the two companies became predominant players, athletes strategically used their endorsements as leverage during negotiations. The competition between Puma and Adidas reached a boiling point in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where Adidas had Puma sneakers confiscated by game officials. The intense rivalry led to a strain on both companies, prompting a "peace treaty" before the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Enter the "Pele Pact." Pele, one of the best players globally at the time, found himself at the center of a unique agreement. Both Adidas and Puma decided not to engage in a bidding war for Pele, realizing the exorbitant costs involved wouldn't be justified in the end.

Pele, baffled by the lack of a deal with either Adidas or Puma, settled for a contract with a small English company called Stylo. Unbeknownst to him, a Puma representative named Hans Henningsen approached the Brazilian team. Although initially friendly, Henningsen frustrated Pele by signing other Brazilian players without including him.

Henningsen, taking matters into his own hands, offered Pele a deal worth $20,000 for the 1970 World Cup and $100,000 for the following years, along with a cut of the sales of Pele-branded sneakers. Puma's head, Armmin Dassler, found the deal too good to pass up.

As part of the agreement, Pele intentionally delayed tying his shoelaces before the game started, allowing cameras to focus on his Puma cleats. This strategic move showcased Puma's brand prominently, creating a memorable moment for viewers around the world.

In the ever-evolving world of sports endorsements, the "Pele Pact" stands as a fascinating chapter, highlighting the lengths companies went to secure the allegiance of iconic athletes.