Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born to a poor family on October 23, 1940, in Tres Coracoes, Brazil. He was named after the inventor Thomas Edison.
Edson's nickname Pelé arose when he mispronounced the name of a local goalkeeper called Bile. It does not mean anything. He was also known as "Perola Negra" (Black Pearl).
Pelé began playing for a local minor-league clubs when he was a young teenager. He led Bauru Athletic to three consecutive São Paulo state youth championships between 1954 and 1956
He made his debut with the Santos Football Club in 1956. With Pelé at inside left forward, the team won several South American clubs' cups and the 1962 world club championship. His best season was 1958, when he scored 139 times.
Pelé holds the world record for being the youngest scorer in the FIFA World Cup: He was 17 years and 239 days when scored a goal for Brazil v Wales in 1958.
He led the Brazilian national soccer team to three World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and to permanent possession of the Jules Rimet Trophy. He is the only footballer to win the World Cup three times.
Pele scored his 1,000th goal on November 19, 1969 playing for Santos against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro.
The legendary footballer retired in 1974 but made a comeback in 1975 after accepting a reported $7 million contract for three years with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League, making him the world's highest-paid sportsman. He said he came out of retirement, not for the money, but to "make soccer truly popular in the United States."
Pelé played the final game of his storied career at the Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 1977. He played the first half for his current club, the New York Cosmos, and the second half for his old Brazilian club Santos.
In his career he played in 1,363 matches and scored 1,281 goals, the most ever football career goals.
Edson's nickname Pelé arose when he mispronounced the name of a local goalkeeper called Bile. It does not mean anything. He was also known as "Perola Negra" (Black Pearl).
Pelé began playing for a local minor-league clubs when he was a young teenager. He led Bauru Athletic to three consecutive São Paulo state youth championships between 1954 and 1956
He made his debut with the Santos Football Club in 1956. With Pelé at inside left forward, the team won several South American clubs' cups and the 1962 world club championship. His best season was 1958, when he scored 139 times.
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| Pelé is the all-time leading scorer with Santos. |
Pelé holds the world record for being the youngest scorer in the FIFA World Cup: He was 17 years and 239 days when scored a goal for Brazil v Wales in 1958.
He led the Brazilian national soccer team to three World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and to permanent possession of the Jules Rimet Trophy. He is the only footballer to win the World Cup three times.
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| Pelé dribbling past a defender during Malmö FF–Brazil 1–7 in May 1960. |
Pele scored his 1,000th goal on November 19, 1969 playing for Santos against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro.
The legendary footballer retired in 1974 but made a comeback in 1975 after accepting a reported $7 million contract for three years with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League, making him the world's highest-paid sportsman. He said he came out of retirement, not for the money, but to "make soccer truly popular in the United States."
Pelé played the final game of his storied career at the Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 1977. He played the first half for his current club, the New York Cosmos, and the second half for his old Brazilian club Santos.
In his career he played in 1,363 matches and scored 1,281 goals, the most ever football career goals.
In addition to his many accomplishments in football, Pelé published several best-selling autobiographies, starred in several documentary and semi-documentary films, and composed numerous musical pieces, including the entire sound track for the 1977 movie Pele.
In 1969, Pelé’s visit to Nigeria caused a 48-hour ceasefire in their civil war. Nine years later, he was the 1978 recipient of the International Peace Award.
In 1969, Pelé’s visit to Nigeria caused a 48-hour ceasefire in their civil war. Nine years later, he was the 1978 recipient of the International Peace Award.
Pele was a devout Catholic who believed his football ability was God's gift.
Pelé was made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his work as a Unicef goodwill ambassador in 1997.
In 1999, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). That same year, he was elected Athlete of the Century by the IOC.
Pelé was made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his work as a Unicef goodwill ambassador in 1997.
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| Pelé by Fábio Rodrigues Pozzebom/Agência Brasil Wikipedia Commons |
In 1999, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). That same year, he was elected Athlete of the Century by the IOC.
Pele died from multiple organ failure, a complication of colon cancer, on December 29, 2022, at the age of 82.
Source Comptons Encyclopedia
Source Comptons Encyclopedia
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