Google's AI has just reimagined the greatest goal ever scored by Pele, which was never captured on film.

      The current AI landscape reveals that much of its application in the film and television sector has been quite contentious. The revival of deceased actors on screen, using AI to produce unfinished vintage songs, or employing it for filming scenes and various aspects of the creative process has sparked considerable criticism. However, there are glimpses of promising AI applications, one of which was recently showcased by Google in a touching manner using Gemini AI.

      This is how the story unfolds. In 1959, Brazilian football icon Pele scored what he claimed was the best goal of his career. The “Black Pearl” executed three consecutive sombreros over defenders, performed a knee flick to evade the goalkeeper, and subsequently headed the ball into the net, all without the ball touching the ground. It's a rare feat, even in top-level football. The downside? It was never recorded on film.

      The “Gol da Rua Javari” was only witnessed by thousands of fans and players present at the match, with very few still alive today. The sole archival evidence was an old photograph capturing the moment of the header. Google’s team conducted interviews with those who witnessed the event six decades ago and reconstructed Pele's movements. They utilized photographs of the stadium, fans, and other players to create a visual representation of how the events transpired.

      Subsequently, Google’s team recreated the entire scene with real people at the same stadium where Pele scored. For authenticity, they even fashioned the heavy leather ball from that time period, along with Pele's dark boots and uniforms. The whole sequence was mapped out, akin to motion capture in films, but without the use of specialized costumes or equipment.

      The entire foundation was processed through a system, and using Gemini Omni, the Nano Banana Pro image generator, and the Google Veo video engine, the collected data was restyled to give it a vintage appearance reminiscent of old photographs. Characters were digitally replaced (the stunt double in the famous No. 10 jersey was substituted with Pele’s digital likeness), and the stadium from that historical 1959 match was reconstructed.

      A remarkable revival from history

      “To make sure the generations appeared as period-accurate as possible, we utilized a filmout machine to capture the unique look and feel of 1950s cinema,” Google stated in its blog. It was a significant undertaking. However, the final result is truly breathtaking. Witnessing Pele’s iconic goal come to life for the first time, showcasing his extraordinary ball skills and on-field expertise, is a spectacular experience.

      The fact that this project was undertaken with the permission of Pele’s family and received backing from football players, fans, and genuine historians distinguishes it from typical profit-driven AI applications. “He would be so proud to see all of this happening. He always lamented that the goal was never recorded. So, being able to relive it with all this technology is amazing,” remarked Pele’s daughter.