Preserving cultural heritage: Inside Google DeepMind’s collaboration with Pelé

On August 2, 1959, Pelé scored the most beautiful goal of his career: three consecutive "sombreros" without the ball touching the ground. Yet, the legendary 'Gol da Rua Javari' was never caught on film.

At Cannes Lions, we shared the behind-the-scenes story of how we worked together with historians, sports journalists, football legends, and Pelé's family to reconstruct this lost moment and share it with the world. The work was created in full partnership with Pelé Brand, the official managers of the Pelé estate.

Rooted in education and cultural preservation, the project heads to the Pelé Museum this year. To achieve this, teams from Google DeepMind used frontier models like Gemini Omni and Veo 3 to transform historical fragments into moving imagery, filmed on the original pitch with authentic uniforms and a vintage ball.

By making the memory of this goal accessible, we ensure it stands as a tribute to inspire a new generation of fans during the first World Cup without him.

Watch the full story on the Google YouTube channel soon.

• Google in Europe