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Pele Biography

“I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music.” – Pele

Pele was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He was named after the American inventor Thomas Edison (his parents removed the i). In his childhood, he gained a nickname ‘Pele’ – after he mispronounced the name of a goalkeeper ‘Bile’ – Initially Pele disliked it and complained, but the more he complained, the more it stuck. Pele has no meaning and was intended as an insult, though later it was found that the word Bilé is Hebrew for “miracle.”

Pele grew up in poverty in São Paulo. He was taught to play football by his father (who used to play football), but often he had to practise with a sock stuffed with newspapers because he could not afford to buy a football. As well as playing football, he worked as a waiter in local tea shops.

In his youth, Pele played in indoor leagues, and this helped increase his speed of reactions. He rose through the youth leagues and at the age of 15 was signed by Santos FC. He was soon marked out as a future star. By the age of 16, he was the top scorer in the Brazilian league and received a call up for the Brazilian national side. Interest was such that the Brazilian President declared Pele a national treasure to prevent him being bought by foreign clubs such as Manchester United.

Pele’s World Cups

1970 World Cup

Style of play

Pele was relatively short at  5″ 8′, but he more than compensated in terms of speed, power, agility and strength. He was superb with both feet, powerful in the air, great timing and accuracy and an extraordinary perception of the game. He could mesmerise defenders with his eyes and send them the wrong way. He had a scoring ratio of 0.94 goals per game and often rose to the big occasion, scoring at crucial moments in big games. Whilst very competitive, he was also considered to be a fair player with good sense of sportsmanship. A good example was his warm embrace of Bobby Moore, the England caption after England’s defeat in the 1970 World Cup. It is sometimes held up as an embodiment of sportsmanship. Without any doubt, he is universally regarded as the greatest player of the twentieth century – if not all time. He is one of the few sportsman like Muhammad Ali and Usain Bolt, who transcend their sport to become a global icon. French footballer Michel Platini said of Pele.

“There’s Pelé the man, and then Pelé the player. And to play like Pelé is to play like God.

In the domestic league, Pele made his debut for Santos aged just 16. He played for Santos in the Brazilian league from until the 1972-73 season.

Pele finished his career in the lucrative US league. In 1975, he signed for New York Cosmos and played three seasons. He led the New York Cosmos to the US title in 1977 – the year of his retirement.

Personal life

Pele was married three times and had several children, some out of wedlock. In 1970, he was investigated by the authoritarian Brazilian government for suspected sympathy to left-wing political prisoners. Pele was investigated for handing out leaflets calling for the release of political prisoners. After the investigation, he did not get involved in politics again.

After retiring has gone on to be a great ambassador for football and sport in general. In 1992, Pelé was appointed a UN ambassador for ecology and the environment. He was also appointed a UNESCO goodwill ambassador. He is not only one of the most gifted footballers of his generation, but, also a mild-mannered man who used his fame and prestige for a positive effect.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Pele”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net. Last updated 8 March 2020. Originally published 18 April 2010.

Some Highlights of Pele’s Career

• Athlete of the Century , by Reuters News Agency: 1999
• Athlete of the Century , elected by International Olympic Committee: 1999
• UNICEF Football Player of the Century : 1999
• TIME One of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century : 1999
• FIFA Player of the Century : 2000

Pele – autobiography at Amazon

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Home › Players › Pelé

B orn on October, 23, 1940 in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Edson Arantes do Nascimento would become more commonly known around the world as Pelé. His father, João Ramos do Nascimento, played professional soccer himself, but his career never brought him much in the way of money. As the legend goes, Pelé’s family could not even afford to buy a ball for him, so he stuffed socks and molded them into the shape of a ball to kick around.

Basic facts

Birth: 1940 Death: 2022 Country: Brazil Position: Forward

Santos FC (1956-1974) New York Cosmos (1975-1977)

Club football: 694 matches, 650 goals National team: 92 matches, 77 goals

Early career

Although he continued to struggle financially in São Paulo, working a variety of jobs to help his family, the young Pelé found his true talent on the field. Under the tutelage of his father and a former national team player named Waldemar de Brito, Pelé began to mature as a player on the Bauru Athletic Club juniors. Coach de Brito recognized his ability and recommended him for a tryout with Santos FC. The team’s management agreed with de Brito’s assessment and signed Pelé in June 1956. A mere three months later, Pelé scored a goal in his debut match. Although few people knew it at the time, this foreshadowed the success to come in the rest of Pelé’s professional career.

Stardom of a youngster

Only a short year later, Pelé topped the list of scorers in the league. His performance, at the tender age of 17, caught the attention of the national team. He would not disappoint. In his first appearance on the world stage, he scored key goals in both the semifinal and the final match of the 1958 World Cup to win it for Brazil . At this point, he had achieved superhero status in Brazil and became a household name around the world. The Brazilian government honored him as a “national treasure,” which elevated his status at home, but also prevented him from taking advantage of offers a broad.

Struggle with injuries

On an individual level, the next two World Cups turned out disappointing due to injuries. The Brazilian side still won the tournament in 1962, but they fell way short in 1966 without their star player—they were eliminated in the group stage. During this era, though, Pelé continued to excel on his club team, Santos. Consistently a top scorer, he often faced teams who had altered their play specifically to deal with the threat he posed. Despite this, he still managed to score 60 goals in the 1964 season and 101 goals the year after that.

Retirement and comeback

By the time 1970 rolled around, Pelé had reportedly decided to hang up his hat and leave while he was on top. However, he was eventually coaxed into playing one last World Cup for Brazil in Mexico on what many consider as the best team in history. Pelé contributed to Brazil’s tournament win with goals and several important assists, earning himself the Golden Ball award for his play. Pelé continued with the Brazilian team for about another year, finally calling it quits in 1971. A few years after that, he said goodbye to his fans at Santos, too. His days as a player were still not over, though.

Late career

Although he had long said that he would only ever play for Santos, he could not resist answering the call from the New York Cosmos in 1975. The North American Soccer League (NASL) represented a significant step down in terms of the level of play that Pelé was accustomed to. The burgeoning league benefitted greatly from this ambassador of the game, though, and ticket sales rose. The American public, largely unfamiliar with the game, took notice. Pelé led the Cosmos to a championship before retiring for good, an event marked by an exhibition match between his adoptive New York team and Santos.

Legacy and life after the football career

At the time of his retirement in 1977, Pelé had amassed a series of seemingly unbreakable records. He had racked up a total of 1,283 goals in 1,363 matches, making him the top scorer in Brazilian national team history and FIFA history. Just as impressively, he managed to pull off 92 hat-tricks. He also set a record for the most FIFA World Cup wins for an individual, with three medals to his name. His early years should not be overlooked, though. The young Pelé burned bright, becoming the youngest player to score a hat-trick and the youngest player to score in a World Cup final match. Retirement saw “O Rei” go on to campaign for a variety of causes, including poverty reduction, anti-corruption movements, and environmental protection. He also received an honorary knighthood, served as the Minister of Sport in Brazil, and assumed the role of a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador. Of course, he never stopped promoting the game throughout the world, including FIFA events and Olympic ceremonies. Perhaps most memorable of all, he popularized the phrase “the beautiful game” as shorthand for the game he loved so much. Generations of enthusiasts have imagined themselves playing with the grace and beauty of “The Black Pearl.” He could strike the ball with astonishing accuracy or flick it off to a teammate through a thick web of defenders’ legs. His iconic goal-scoring bicycle kick in Belgium in 1968 sent young players from all over rushing outside for hours of painful practice. What dazzled many of his fellow players was his uncanny ability to work his way out of almost any situation with sheer skill. For those who have wondered about the origin of the name “Pelé,” the answer proves elusive. Some have claimed that it came from Pelé’s poor pronunciation of the name of a goalie he admired named “Bilé.” According to this version of events, his teammates half-mockingly gave him the name “Pelé” and he could not shake it. Pelé himself has never given a definitive account of how he got the name. In fact, he claimed he never cared for it much. Like so much else in this superstar’s life, though, the magic lies not in minute biographical details or trivia, but in the legacy that Pelé left on the field. Pelé passed away in december 2022, at the age of 82.

By Rosa Nelson

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References: http://www.biography.com/people/pel%C3%A9-39221#more-world-cup-titles http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/10874465/How-and-why-Peles-mystique-and-reputation-as-the-worlds-greatest-ever-footballer-has-been-overhyped.html http://www.goal.com/en/news/60/south-america/2010/10/21/2176031/70-facts-about-brazil-legend-pele Image source: Image sources: 1, 3 FIFA – World Cup Official Film 1970 2 Scanpix

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Pele Biography Facts, Childhood, Career, Personal Life

Edson Arantes do Nascimento (born 23 October 1940) popularly known as Pele, is a retired Brazilian footballer who played football professionally for 21 years. During those years, Pele established himself as the best in the world, and to date, only a very few players have carried the same momentum as Pele did during his football days. Pele is regarded by pundits as one of the best players in the history of football. From his youth to his retirement, Pele was a sight to behold on the pitch. Even after his exit from the pitch, Pele still remains a noteworthy figure in football as his performance is often used as a sort of benchmark for young stars dominating football in the modern age. In this article on Pele biography facts, childhood, career and personal life, we’ll review the life of the football legend

Table of Contents

Pele’s Biography Facts, Age, Quick Info

Here are some quick facts that you need to know about the retired Brazilian football legend.

• Full Name: Edson Arantes do Nascimento
• Nicknames: Pele, Dico
• Date of Birth: 23 October 1940
• Age: 84 years old
• Place of Birth: Três Corações, Brazil
• Nationality: Brazilian
• Zodiac sign: Libra
• Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
• Weight: 73 kg
• Father: João Ramos do Nascimento
• Mother: Celeste Arantes
• Siblings: Zeca Nascimento (brother), Maria Lúcia Nascimento (sister)
• Wife: Marcia Aoki (married 2014)
• Sons: Edson Cholbi Nascimento, Joshua Nascimento
• Daughters: Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento, Kelly Cristina Nascimento, Flávia Christina Kurtz Nascimento, Celeste Nascimento, Jennifer Nascimento, Sandra Machado

Pele’s Early Life & Childhood

Edson Arantes do Nascimento is the eldest of two children born on 23 October 1940, to Dondinho and Celeste Arantes in Três Corações located in Brazil. Pele whose father was a footballer grew up in a poverty affected area, precisely in Bauru in Brazil. He was named after the renowned inventor, Thomas Edison. His parents decided to remove the ‘i’ in his name. But mistakes made in his birth certificate showed his name as Edison. 

Edson Arantes got the moniker ‘Pele’ after he mispronounced the name of a player he adored, goalkeeper of Vasco da Gama, Bilé. After he repeatedly mispronounced the name, he was named Pele, and despite efforts to make his peers stop calling his nickname, they continued and thus the name stuck. 

Pele was trained to play football by his father. But because he could not afford a ball, he placed socks in newspaper and attached it a string or grapefruit. As he grew Pele joined local football teams such as Bauru Athletic Club juniors, where he went on to win two Sao Paulo Youth Championship. He played in various local football competitions against adults and in one of those competitions, despite concerns that he was too young, Pele dominated and thus ended up as the tournament top scorer. 

Pele’s Professional Football Career

Santos fc (1956–1974).

• Appearances: 638

Pele’s coach at youth team Bauru Athletic Club juniors, Waldemar de Brito, took 15 years old Pele to a tryout for Santos FC. Brito told Santos executive that Pele will be the greatest player in the world. Pele convinced Santos coach during the tryout and he signed a contract with the club. Santos prided Pele as a star to the media and he confirmed that by his performance. 

Following the 1962 World Cup, where Pele was amazingly brilliant, top European clubs such as Real Madrid tried to sign him. Inter Milan succeeded in getting a regular contract with him, but following the intense protest of Santos fan, former owner of Inter Milan, Angelo Moratti tore the contract following the request of Santos coach. Pele’s popularity was so much that the government, especially, ex-President, Jânio Quadro declared Pele a national treasure, so as to prevent him from bing transferred away from Brazil. 

He earned his first trophy with Santos in 1958, the Campeonato Paulista. He finished as the tournament top scorer with 58 goals, a record which has not been broken till date. He continued in top form, helping Santos claim several trophies. In 1962, he won the first most prestigious title in South America, the Copa Libertadores. He went on to win the title the next year, but following the 1964 Copa Libertadores, Santos began experiencing a decline in form but Pele’s form remained intact. Despite the fact that Pele was not playing in top European leagues, his fame was widely proclaimed. In 1967, at the height of the Civil war in Nigeria, a ceasefire was announced for 48 hours, just to watch Pele play an exhibition game in Lagos, Nigeria.

New York Cosmos (1975–1977)

• Appearances: 56

After playing for 19 seasons for Santos, he retired from Brazilian club football in 1974, but two years later, he went on to play for New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League (NASL). Pele’s presence in America increased interest in football in America. While he played for Cosmos, he played in exhibition matches in various countries such as in Lebanon, weeks before the Civil war began. He played for Nejmeh against the Lebanese league stars. About 40,000 gathered to watch the game. In his final season at Cosmos, he led his team to win the NASL championship. As he decided to retire from football, an exhibition match was held between Santos and Cosmos in front of a sold-out crowd at the Giants stadium.

Pele’s International Career

Brazil national team (1957–1971).

• Appearances: 77

At the age of 16, Pele earned his first international goal and thus became Brazil youngest goalscorer, a record he still holds. At the 1958 World Cup, Pele was the youngest in the tournament and had performed brilliantly helping Brazil trash Sweden 5-1 in the final. He became the youngest player to play in the final of a world cup and was named the tournament’s best young player. He was granted the no. 10 jersey in the tournament following disorganisation which led FIFA to hand out jersey numbers. 

At the 1959 South American Championship, he was in amazing form as he emerged the best and top scorer in the tournament. In the 1962 World Cup, he was in astounding form as he led Brazil to another World Cup title. In the 1966 World Cup, Brazil was not successful, but Pele who was in amazing form became the first player to score in three successive World Cup tournaments. In a game against Portugal which Brazil lost, Pele was subject to fouls, but the referee did not send the player off, which led him to declare he’ll no longer play football again, a decision he later rescinded. 

In the 1970 World Cup, Pele who initially refused to play in the tournament led Brazil to victory once again. In the final of the tournament, Pele was involved in what is known as the greatest team goal history. He was awarded the Golden ball title. He played his last International game against Yugoslavia in Rio de Janeiro in 1971.

Pele’s Personal Life, Wife, Marriages

Pele has been unsuccessful in two marriages. He married Rosemeri dos Reis Cholb in February 1966. The couple who divorced in 1982, gave birth to three children. The Union’s only son, Edson Cholbi Nascimento, a former goalkeeper was convicted of money laundering from drug trafficking and was sentenced to 33 years in prison, which was later reduced to 12 years. In 1994, Pele got married to Assíria Lemos Seixas, and they gave birth to twins in 1996. In 2008, they divorced. In 2016, he got married to Marcia Aoki. 

Pele is said to be the father to Sandra Machado, the daughter of a housemaid, who Pele had relations with. Pele refused to submit to DNA testing and also refused to acknowledge that he was her father even after her death in 2006. Courts, however, ruled that he is her father. In 1970, the Brazilian Military dictatorship investigated him for sympathies towards the leftist. 

In 1976, a coup occurred in Nigeria and Pele was in the country on a trip which was sponsored by Pepsi. He went on to stay at the residence of the Brazilian ambassador before he left the country disguised in pilot’s clothing. 

Pele’s right kidney was removed in 1977. In 2019, Pele had urinary tract infection. 

In 2020, his son, Edson, revealed he could no longer walk. 

SEE MORE: Biography facts, early-life, careers and personal life of famous footballers .

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Pele: Life Story, Bio and Facts

Pele is a name no soccer fan can do without, and the man is touted to be the best soccer player the world ever saw.

Pele did not have the world handed over to him on a silver platter, he worked his way sweat and blood to the upper echelons of sports persons.

What is it that had the young man get back onto his feet every time he was tackled to the ground? What inspired him to take no notice of buffeted bones in his body, and return to the soccer field at the earliest?

The answer to the questions posed is something that you must experience to believe. When your work is not just work but the element that defines you, and when you derive satisfaction that is greater than any pain that can be inflicted on you, nothing else matters, and you plough on.

Pele was born Edson Arantes Do Nascimento on 3 October 1940. His father was a soccer player who was forced to retire from the game when he fractured his leg.

Young Pele grew up in poverty, and used to polish shoes to help contribute to the family income. The boy showed great interest for, and talent in, soccer and was playing for a local minor league club when he got his first break.

The 11-year-old Pele caught the eye of Waldemar de Brito, a premier player of the nation. Brito is said to have presented Pele to skeptical directors at Santos, boldly stating that Pele would be the greatest soccer player in the world. Whether or not he truly believed in his passionate statement at the time he made it remains immaterial.

Pele proved himself to Santos when, at the age of 16, he scored a goal in his very first mainstream match, which was against Corinthians FC.

The world began to sit up and pay attention when a 17-year-old Pele scored a whopping 6 goals during the 1958 World Cup, thereby leading the Brazil National Team to victory. Brazil won its first World Cup that year.

With word of his brilliant performances spreading like wildfire, and a wide range of sports clubs showing unmasked interest in having Pele play for them, Brazil declared its star soccer player a national treasure, thereby barring Pele from playing for any non-Brazilian club or corporation.

Pele was a vision when on the field, with his agile 5 ft. 8 inches frame swiftly running across the arena, his deft feet expertly dribbling the ball. Besides being hailed for his extraordinary command on the ball and powerful kicks, Pele also commanded admiration for his powerful head shots.

In 1962, Pele was unable to play alongside his team during World Cup as he sustained severe injuries during the first match of the tournament. However, in 1970, Pele led his team to win what would be the 3rd World Cup for his nation.

His goal was precious in more ways than one – not only was it Brazil’s 100th World Cup goal, but it was also a goal that was close to Pele’s heart as he had scored it with his head. Pele’s dad was adept at headshots, and is reported to have made 5 headshot goals in a single match, and the move was special for Pele.

Pele’s score board is stunning. In all, the master soccer player has scored 1,280 goals, and is second only to Arthur Friedenreich, another Brazilian soccer player with 1,329 goals in his kitty. Pele’s average worked out to one goal at every international game. 92 hat tricks and 97 international goals are the statistics that place his at the top of his game, with his statistics being the highest ever.

After he retired, Pele returned to active soccer for a short span of 2 years to promote soccer in North America. He played in the North American Soccer League to attract the interest of millions of Americans towards the “beautiful game” of soccer.

He played an exhibition game between Cosmos and Santos, playing for the former during the first half, and for the latter team during the second half. He used his popularity to spread the message of love and peace among the followers of the game, and had crowds chanting “Love! Love! Love!” during the exhibition match.

Pele invested a lot of time and effort to advance the popularity of soccer. He penned autobiographies, and even starred in various documentary and semi-documentary films that focused on soccer, or on his life as a soccer player.

Towards the end of his soccer career, Pele also went to display his acting skills, and he is also a musician. His other talents, too, were invested to promote soccer and goodwill among populations.

Lessons from Pele's story

All that a person who thumbs down Pele’s biography will see are a series of success stories, with glorious inputs from the player himself, sports commentators and ecstatic audiences highlighting the legend’s prowess on the field.

Few care to recount the instances when Pele suffered grievous wounds during a game and quit the field in tears, only to return better than before for the next match. Here is the sportsmanship that propelled the player to be the man he is.

The world of soccer would still be waiting for its king if Pele was an ordinary player who was on the field for merely fame or money, rather than for true passion for the sport.

One lesson that can be learnt from Pele's story, therefore, is that the key to success is to indulge in that which your heart lay.

Another lesson is that a successful man is not the one who does not meet failure, but the one who accepts failure as a part of his learning process and moves on. An adult who is trying to attain a set goal must be like a toddler learning to walk - not afraid of falling down, and getting up every time he falls down to try and walk again, one step at a time.

Short Bio: Who is Pele?

Pele is the nickname of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, a retired Brazilian professional soccer player. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Pele began his professional career as a teenager with Santos FC in Brazil and quickly became one of the most successful soccer players of his generation. He helped Santos win multiple Brazilian league titles and international club competitions.

Pele's performances with Santos earned him a call-up to the Brazilian national team, and he quickly established himself as one of the team's key players. He played in four World Cup tournaments and is considered one of the best players in World Cup history, he helped Brazil win the tournament in 1958, 1962 and 1970, becoming the only player ever to win three World Cups. He was the first player to score over 1,000 goals in his career and set a number of records that still stand today.

Pele was known for his exceptional ball control, speed, and goal-scoring abilities. He was a prolific scorer and a creative playmaker, and he was able to score goals in a variety of ways, from headers to free kicks to volleys. He was also known for his sportsmanship and his ability to play with his teammates. Pele was awarded the FIFA Order of Merit in 1984 and was inducted into the FIFA Hall of Fame in 2011.

Pele Fast Facts

• Pele's real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, but he is widely known by his nickname Pele.
• He began his professional soccer career as a teenager with Santos FC in Brazil and quickly established himself as one of the best players in the world.
• Pele helped Santos win multiple Brazilian league titles and international club competitions.
• He played in four World Cup tournaments with the Brazilian national team, and he is considered one of the best players in World Cup history. He helped Brazil win the tournament in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
• He was the first player to score over 1,000 goals in his career and set a number of records that still stand today.
• Pele is known for his exceptional ball control, speed, and goal-scoring abilities. He was a prolific scorer and a creative playmaker, and he was able to score goals in a variety of ways, from headers to free kicks to volleys.
• He was also known for his sportsmanship and his ability to play with his teammates.
• Pele was awarded the FIFA Order of Merit in 1984 and was inducted into the FIFA Hall of Fame in 2011.
• Pele was also known as "The King of Football" and "The Black Pearl"
• After his retirement, Pele has been active in charity and in promoting the sport of soccer, he also was a United Nations ambassador for ecology and the environment.

How pele changed soccer?

Pele is credited with popularizing soccer in South America and around the world, and his success on the field helped to bring the sport to a wider audience. Dutch star Johan Cruyff stated, "Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic." Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning captain Carlos Alberto Torres opined: "His great secret was improvisation. Those things he did were in one moment. He had an extraordinary perception of the game."

Pelé has been known for connecting the phrase "The Beautiful Game" with football. A prolific goalscorer, he was known for his ability to anticipate opponents in the area and finish off chances with an accurate and powerful shot. Pelé was also a hard-working team player with exceptional vision and intelligence, who was recognised for his precise passing and ability to link up with teammates and provide them with assists.

Short biography and history of Pele as a footballer

Pelé became famous for his exceptional skill and success on the soccer field. He started his professional career at a young age, and quickly gained recognition for his talent and ability to score incredible goals.

• Pelé signed a professional contract with the club Santos in June 1956. He made his senior team debut on September 1956 at the age of 15. When the 1957 season started, Pelé was given a starting place in the first team and, at the age of 16, became the top scorer in the league. Pelé won his first major title with Santos in 1958.
• Pelé's first international match was against Argentina in 1957. In that match, he scored his first goal for Brazil aged 16, and he remains the youngest goalscorer for his country. In 1958 Pelé became the youngest player to play in a World Cup final match at 17 years. When the 1962 World Cup started, Pelé was the best-rated player in the world. Pelé's last international match was in 1971.
• After his 19th with Santos, in 1974, Pelé retired from Brazilian club football. A year later, he came out of semi-retirement to sign with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Pelé led the Cosmos team to the 1977 Soccer Bowl, in his third and final season with the club.

Did Pele win a world cup?

Yes, Pele won the World Cup three times. Pele won the World Cup in 1958, 1962, and 1970, with a total of 12 goals.

Did Pele play outside Brazil?

After a successful career in Brazil with Santos FC, Pele signed with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1975. He played with the Cosmos for two seasons and helped to popularize soccer in the United States. Pele retired from professional soccer in 1977.

Did Pele and Maradona play together?

No, Pele and Diego Maradona did not play together on the same team. Pele and Maradona are widely considered two of the greatest soccer players of all time, but they played during different eras and never had the opportunity to play on the same team. Pele played professionally from 1956 to 1977, while Maradona played from 1976 to 1997.

Does Pele have kids?

Yes, Pele has children. Pele has been married three times and has a total of six children. His children are named Edinho, Jennifer, Marko, Joshua, Celeste, and Lila.

How Pele get his name?

Pelé's real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento. He was given the nickname "Pelé" when he was a young boy. The story behind his nickname is that it was given to him by his friends who thought that he looked like a Brazilian goalkeeper named Bilé. Pelé's friends started calling him "Pelé," which was a combination of his last name and Bilé. The nickname stuck, and Pelé became known as Pelé throughout his career and in popular culture.

Was Pele rich?

Pelé amassed a significant fortune throughout his career. In addition to his salary as a professional soccer player, Pelé also earned income through endorsement deals and other business ventures. He used his wealth and influence to support a number of charitable causes, and he was known for his philanthropy and generosity.

Was Pele a striker?

Yes, Pelé was a striker, and he is known for his exceptional skill and ability to score goals. Pelé was known for his speed, agility, and exceptional finishing ability, which made him one of the most dangerous strikers in the history of the sport.

Has Pele passed away?

Yes, Pelé passed away on 29 December 2022, at the age of 82, due to multiple organ failure, a complication of colon cancer.

Pele Quotes

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do." ( Meaning )

"Enthusiasm is everything. It must be taut and vibrating like a guitar string." ( Meaning )

"If you don't give education to people, it is easy to manipulate them." ( Meaning )

"The bicycle kick is not easy to do."

"A penalty is a cowardly way to score."

"Sport is something that is very inspirational for young people."

"I always had a philosophy which I got from my father. He used to say, 'Listen. God gave to you the gift to play football. This is your gift from God. If you take care of your health, if you are in good shape all the time, with your gift from God no one will stop you, but you must be prepared.'" ( Meaning )

"The bicycle kick is not easy to do. I scored 1,283 goals, and only two or three were bicycle kicks."

"At 17, I already had responsibility because I took care of my family, but in the football I was young; I wasn't experienced or the captain - I was just in the team."

"All my life I thank God. My family was very religious."

"When I was minister of sport in Brazil, I tried to bring in a law that would make the chairmen of clubs reveal their accounts like other businesses. It was turned down, but I think it is an important story that will make a good film."

"I played for Santos at 16, and we had an excellent team, so it helped a lot. And then I played for Brazil at the Maracana against Argentina. So I get more experience. This was one year before the World Cup, and it made a lot of difference."

"When you play against dirty players or very tough players, it's easy to escape because you know what they're going to do. But when the player is tough but intelligent, it's much more difficult."

"When you are young, you do a lot of stupid things."

"When I retired, at that time I had a lot of proposals to play in Europe, England, Italy, Spain, Mexico. But I said no, after 18 years I want to rest, because I want to retire."

"To be a striker you need to be in good shape."

"Everything is practice." ( Meaning )

"A lot of people, when a guy scores a lot of goals, think, 'He's a great player', because a goal is very important, but a great player is a player who can do everything on the field. He can do assists, encourage his colleagues, give them confidence to go forward. It is someone who, when a team does not do well, becomes one of the leaders."

"I am constantly being asked about individuals. The only way to win is as a team. Football is not about one or two or three star players."

"Pele doesn't die. Pele will never die. Pele is going to go on for ever."

"When I was a footballer, I surrounded myself with footballers. We were all friends. But in Brasilia you don't know who your friends are. It can be a dangerous place."

"The World Cup is a very complicated tournament - six games, seven if you make it to the final - and maybe if you lose one game you're out, even if you're the best."

"Everybody knows my life. I won a lot of tournaments and scored more than 1,000 goals, won three World Cups but I could not play in Olympic Games."

"Brazil's always had great players, both at home and abroad, but we need to put all that talent together and mould a team out of it."

"I was really proud that I was named after Thomas Edison and wanted to be called Edson. I thought Pele sounded horrible. It was a rubbish name. Edson sounded so much more serious and important."

"Everything on earth is a game. A passing thing. We all end up dead. We all end up the same." ( Meaning )

― Pele Quotes

* The editor of this short biography made every effort to maintain information accuracy, including any quotes, facts, or key life events. If you're looking to expand your personal development, I recommend exploring other people's life stories and gaining inspiration from my collection of inspiring quotes . Exposing yourself to different perspectives can broaden your worldview and help you with your personal growth.

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Skills, charisma, mysticism: The life of football legend Pele

The world bids farewell to one of the greatest footballers ever seen.

Santos, Brazil – A famous sports writer once said that “if Pelé had not been born a man, he would have been born a football”.

Pelé – real name Edson Arantes do Nascimento – one of the greatest footballers the world had ever seen, died on Thursday at the age of 82.

Born in the state of Minas Gerais in 1940, Pelé’s family moved to a nearby city called Bauru looking for a better life. He grew up in poverty and his parents could not even afford a football. An old sock filled with newspapers was the first “ball” his magical feet kicked but it was enough for him to fall in love with the game and for people to start noticing he was different.

When Pelé was 15, a local coach, Waldemar de Brito, took him to play for the football club Santos. Upon arriving in the city that shares the name with the club, Brito told the coach, “This kid will be the best in the world.”

Within minutes, the coach was impressed with Pelé and signed him on the spot. This was 1956. Two years later, Pelé would be in Sweden, spearheading Brazil to a World Cup title, the first of six for the team. He scored two goals in the final against Sweden. He was still 17.

At the final whistle, the wonder kid fainted on the field while being carried by the celebrating crowd.

Pelé was famously easy-going, kind, joyful, and a reliable friend.

“Pelé was always a very nice guy. We would spend so much time talking. He didn’t have any star attitude,” Didi, 84, one of Pelé’s oldest friends and his barber of 55 years, told Al Jazeera.

“I tell my grandchildren that I had one client more famous than anyone else. This is a man who is known more all over the world than Coca Cola. So I feel proud of it and it’s very rare for someone to have a client like this.”

Pelé had a certain way of speaking Portuguese, something he would turn into a trademark. He would constantly finish his sentences with “entende?” which means “understand?”.

It seems he always wanted to make sure to facilitate conversations, just like he would smooth out his teammates’ game.

In addition to skills and charisma, a certain mysticism always surrounded the character of the King of Football. Pelé was from a city called Três Corações, which translates to Three Hearts.

One of his many famous quotes, made at his last match ever played in 1977 in New York, was honouring children and with his limited English, he just said “love, love, love.”

On the pitch, Pelé became an instant celebrity following the 1958 World Cup triumph. Upon returning to Brazil, he helped Santos build a dynasty, winning 25 titles in the 1960s. Despite being world-famous, Pelé kept living a down-to-earth life in Santos. He would share a guest house with other players and cycle around the city.

“The pay was pretty bad but he did it for love of the game and we had so much fun,” Carlos “Lala”, 86, a goalkeeper and Pelé’s former Santos teammate, told Al Jazeera.

Despite being a widely diverse country ethnically, Brazil is not often represented by people of colour. So having someone Black as its biggest celebrity and star had a cultural impact on the country.

Aside from being the world’s best footballer, Pelé also ventured into showbusiness. A lover of music, he recorded an album with Brazilian legendary singer Elis Regina and acted in a handful of movies, making him a pop star as well.

In 1962, Brazil won a second successive World Cup with an injured Pelé supporting the team.

It was in 1970, at the first World Cup broadcasted in colour, that Pelé put the cherry on top of his football legacy. The team that had Clodoaldo, Rivelino and Tostão, put in one of the most celebrated World Cup performances in history.

In the final, a 4-1 win over Italy, Pelé scored a header – the team’s opening goal – that some people said he managed by freezing midair. He celebrated the goal in his typical manner: Jumping and punching the air.

“I told myself before the game that Pelé is made of skin and bones just like everyone else. But I was wrong,” said Tarciso Burnigch, the Italian defender appointed to mark Pelé in the final.

That was Pelé’s 12th and final World Cup goal.

In 1969, he had become the first player to score 1,000 goals. The 1,000th goal was at the Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro, known as the Mecca of Football.

In 1974, he left Santos and played his final years in New York, at a club called Cosmos.

It was the only team he played for other than Santos and Brazil’s national side.

“As we [the security team] were always with the team, traveling, at the games, we had a lot of contact with them, so we developed a friendship,” Pedro de Liberato, Pele’s security guard, and then his neighbour, told Al Jazeera.

“Pelé was always very joyful, always joking with people,” the 90-year-old added.

Pelé wore the number 10 jersey but he did not know which number he would have and was assigned 10 randomly.

The number 10 jersey has since then become associated with the world’s best – Maradona, Roberto Baggio, Zinedine Zidane and Lionel Messi are just some of them who have worn it.

Pelé retired after playing 1,363 games, winning 37 titles, scoring 1,281 goals, including 92 career hat-tricks.

He spent his post-football life involved in social activism, including being a UNESCO goodwill ambassador.

In 1995, he took public office as minister of sports, introducing the legislation that grants players their own rights after a certain age. Pelé also commented on games for television.

In recent years, Pelé struggled with his health. Aside from battling cancer, he also suffered from severe hip pain and spent most of his last years in a wheelchair.

Pelé: Athlete of the Century

Discover the story of the three-time world cup winner who made history in brazilian and world soccer., folha de s.paulo.

Pelé comemora o bicampeonato paulista após vitória do Santos sobre o Juventus (1965-11-27) Folha de S.Paulo

Named Athlete of the Century by the international media and various sporting bodies, former soccer player Edson Arantes do Nascimento—or Pelé as he is more commonly known—is considered the most famous Brazilian in the world.

Among the former player's awards are the Cross of the Order of the Hungarian Republic, France's Knight of the Legion of Honor, and the Knight Order of the British Empire, which he received from Queen Elizabeth II herself at a ceremony in the UK.

Pelé (1962) Folha de S.Paulo

The boy from Três Corações

Dico, as he was known by his family, was born on October 23, 1940, in the town of Três Corações (Minas Gerais State).

He was the eldest child of Celeste Arantes do Nascimento and João Ramos do Nascimento (1917–96)—himself a soccer player nicknamed Dondinho. Pelé had a brother, former soccer player Jair Arantes do Nascimento (1942–2020), and a sister, Maria Lúcia, who was the baby of the family.

Pelé (1960) Folha de S.Paulo

Pelé's early years were spent not only in Três Corações, but also in the rural town of Lorena (São Paulo State) and São Lourenço (Minas Gerais State), where his father played as a center forward for local clubs Esporte Clube Hepacaré and Vasco da Gama de São Lourenço, respectively.

When he was 4, his family moved again—this time to Bauru, another rural town in São Paulo State, where his father would play for Bauru Atlético Clube. As well as being an excellent header of the ball, Dondinho was considered one of the best center forwards in southern Minas Gerais.

Pelé (1958-11-11) Folha de S.Paulo

The shoeshine boy

An early awareness of poverty meant that, even as a small boy, Pelé did odd jobs to contribute to the family income, whether that was shining shoes or selling peanuts.

Pelé and Bilé

According to friends of the former striker, he became known as Pelé because he struggled to pronounce the name of one of his heroes—Bilé, who played in goal for Vasco da Gama de São Lourenço. In interviews, however, Pelé has said that he does not know exactly where his nickname came from.

Pelé (1958) Folha de S.Paulo

An outstanding player in street soccer games in Bauru in the 1950s, Pelé progressed through the junior teams at various clubs, namely Vai Quem Quer, Canto do Sete de Setembro, Ameriquinha, Radium, Noroeste, and Baquinho, the feeder club for Bauru Atlético Clube.

At the age of 13, he was the star player in the 1954 Bauruense League championship when his team, Baquinho, were crowned champions. According to interviews with Pelé himself, that season was the first time he wore cleats.

Pelé entre os dirigentes do Santos (1958-12-07) Folha de S.Paulo

“Youngster Pelé Is Off to Santos” was the story that a Bauru newspaper ran about the star's move to Santos Soccer Club, based at the Vila Belmiro Stadium.

In the photo, Santos directors Athiê Jorge Coury and Modesto Roma hug Pelé after the team's 6-1 win over Corinthians in the 1958 Paulista Championship.

Pelé posa para foto com a equipe do Santos (1958) Folha de S.Paulo

Pelé’s Santos story began on July 22, 1956, when Waldemar de Brito—the then Baquinho manager who had played as a center forward for Brazil at the 1934 World Cup—brought him in to play for the club.

Pelé’s brilliance on the soccer field led to him being called up to the first team before he even turned 16. In his first game as a professional, a friendly against Corinthians de Santo André on September 7, Santos thrashed their rivals 7-1.

1958 Paulista champions

Pelé is hugged by Paulo Machado de Carvalho—the businessman who headed the Brazilian delegation at the 1958 and 1962 World Cups—after thrashing Guarani FC 7-1 in Campinas (São Paulo State) to win the Paulista Championship for the first time.

Scoring four of his team’s seven goals in the final made Pelé the league’s top goal scorer. His 58 goals in a single season have never been beaten, and this was the beginning of an era that would shape Santos FC and Brazilian soccer forever.

Pelé (1962-09-19) Folha de S.Paulo

In a survey by the Argentinian sports magazine El Gráfico in the 1960s, Santos were named the best team of all time. With their stars Pepe, Coutinho, Dorval, Mengálvio, and Pelé forming a famous and much-feared attack, that era is still the most successful in the club’s history.

The 1963 season was another glorious one for Pelé and Santos, with the club winning the Rio-São Paulo Tournament, becoming Brazilian champions for the third time, and winning both the South American Libertadores Cup and the Intercontinental Cup for the second time.

Pelé durante partida entre Santos e Esporte Clube Bahia (1969-11-17) by Antônio Pirozzelli Folha de S.Paulo

The 1,000th goal

On Wednesday November 19, 1969, there was a party atmosphere among the 65,000 spectators in Rio de Janeiro's Maracanã Stadium for the match between Vasco da Gama and Santos. Journalists from all around the world were there when Pelé, at the age of 29, scored the long-awaited 1,000th goal of his career after the home side's center half, Fernando Silva, gave away a penalty.

The teams were competing in the Roberto Gomes Pedrosa Tournament and Santos came from a goal down to beat their Rio rivals 2-1.

Pelé (1974-10-02) Folha de S.Paulo

Farewell to Santos

On October 2, 1974, Pelé played his last game in a Santos shirt in the match against Ponte Preta. Santos won the game 2-0, but Pelé only played the first 21 minutes. Clearly moved, Pelé did a lap of honor of the ground where he had become a legend.

During his 18 years at Santos, he scored 1,091 goals in 1,116 games. Some of his greatest achievements at the club included winning both the South American Libertadores Cup and the Intercontinental Cup twice, the Rio-São Paulo Tournament four times, the Brazilian Championship six times, and the Paulista Championship 10 times.

Pelé com uniforme de treino da seleção brasileira (1974) Folha de S.Paulo

In June 1975, a year after leaving Santos, Pelé signed a multimillion-dollar contract with the New York Cosmos, a North American club that was looking to expand soccer in the US.

During a visit back to Brazil later in 1975, Pelé once again put on a Santos shirt for an exhibition game in Salvador against Bahia, in the Governor Roberto Santos Tournament, also known as the Hunger Tournament (Torneio da Fome). The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Pelé no estádio do Santos (1990-10-23) by Sérgio Tomisaki Folha de S.Paulo

His final farewell

Pelé played his last competitive match on August 28, 1977, when he helped Cosmos to a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders in the North American League. But the star’s real farewell was in a friendly between Cosmos and Santos on October 1 in New York.

During the match, which ended in a 2-1 Cosmos win, Pelé wore both teams' shirts. It was his way of honoring the club that made him a sports legend.

Playing for Brazil

In 1957, Pelé was just 16 when he was called on by the manager of Brazil's national team, Vicente Feola. That same year, he won his first international trophy, the Rocca Cup—a friendly between Brazil and Argentina.

He won the World Cup in 1958 (Sweden), 1962 (Chile), and 1970 (Mexico), making him the only player to win the trophy three times. Across all the tournaments he played in for the national side, he scored 77 goals in 113 matches.

In an exclusive interview with Folha TV, Pelé talks about playing in the World Cup

Pelé (1958-06-19) Folha de S.Paulo

Sweden, 1958

Pelé’s first appearance in the World Cup came in a 2-0 win over the former Soviet Union on June 15, 1958. His first goal in the tournament, however, was the only goal in the match against Wales. In the final against Sweden, Pelé scored twice in Brazil’s 5-2 defeat of the host nation.

Pelé comemora a vitória na Copa do Mundo do Chile (1962-06-17) Folha de S.Paulo

Chile, 1962

In the 1962 World Cup in Chile, an injury Pelé sustained in the match against the former Czechoslovakia put an end to his participation in the tournament. Four years later, at the 1966 World Cup in the UK, Brazil went out in the group stages following a 3-1 defeat to Portugal.

Pelé ergue a Taça Jules Rimet ao lado do presidente da República Emílio Garrastazu Médici (1970-06-23) by Roberto Stuckert Folha de S.Paulo

Mexico, 1970

The Brazilian team started their 1970 World Cup in Mexico—which would be Pelé’s last—by beating the former Czechoslovakia 4-1 on June 3, 1970.

On June 21, Brazil beat Italy 4-1 in the final, becoming the first team to win the World Cup three times. The best soccer player of all time was saying goodbye to the best soccer tournament in the world.

The last goal and the last game On July 11, 1971, Pelé played his penultimate game for the national side in a friendly against Austria at São Paulo’s Morumbi Stadium. The match ended in a 1-1 draw and the King of Soccer was treated like royalty after what would be his last goal in the famous yellow shirt. One week later, on July 18, Pelé put on a Brazilian shirt for the last time for a friendly between Brazil and the former Yugoslavia at Rio’s Maracanã Stadium. The match ended 2-2 with goals from Gérson and Rivellino.

Pelé e família (1972) Folha de S.Paulo

Pelé’s first marriage was to Rosemeri Cholbi in 1966. The couple would go on to have three children: Kelly Cristina, Edinho (the former Santos goalkeeper), and Jennifer, who was born in 1978—the year her parents separated. Pelé also had two other daughters from other relationships: Flávia Kurtz and Sandra Regina, who died in 2006.

In 1994, he had twins, Celeste and Joshua, with his second wife, psychologist Assíria Lemos. Pelé lived with his third wife, businesswoman Marcia Cibele Aoki until his death on December 29, 2022.

Pelé atuando com a camisa do Santos (1966) by Aroldo Chiorino/Folhapress Folha de S.Paulo

Pelé atuando em jogo-treino entre Brasil e Escócia, em Hampden Park, para a Copa da Inglaterra, em 1966.

Copyright Folhapress . All rights reserved. Commercial use and/or reproduction of this photo or any part of it without express authorization and licensing from Folhapress is prohibited. To license this content, please contact [email protected] .

Ayrton Senna

São paulo in black and white, 1958: brazil are world champions, 1962: brazil wins the world cup for a second time, 1970: brazil are three-time champions, 1994: brazil win for the fourth time, 2002: brazil's fifth time as champions, carnival: rio de janeiro's samba schools, carnival: são paulo's samba schools, the iraq war in the pages of folha.

• World Biography
• Pelé Biography

PelÉ Biography

Born: October 23, 1940 Tres Coracoes, Brazil Brazilian soccer star

Pelé, called "the Black Pearl," was one of the greatest soccer players in the history of the game. With a career total of 1,280 games, he may have been the world's most popular athlete in his prime.

A young talent

Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, who took the name Pelé, was born on October 23, 1940, in Tres Coracoes, Brazil, the son of a minor league soccer player. Pelé grew up in an extremely poor neighborhood, where one of the only sources of entertainment for a poor boy was to play soccer, barefoot and with a makeshift ball. Many players on the Brazilian soccer fields gained nicknames that had no apparent meaning. His father was dubbed "Dondinho" and young Edson took the name "Pelé," though he does not recall how or why he picked up the name.

Pelé was coached by his father and the hard work soon paid off, for when he was eleven Pelé played for his first soccer team, that of the town of Bauru, Brazil. He moved up in competition with outstanding play and soon was one of the best players on the team. At the age of fifteen his mentor (an advisor), former soccer star Waldemar de Brito, brought him to Sao Paulo to try out for the major league teams. Pelé was quickly rejected. De Brito then took Pelé to Santos where he earned a spot on the soccer team. There, Pelé earned nearly five thousand cruzeiros (about sixty dollars) per month to play soccer. He soon received broader exposure when he was loaned to the Vasco da Gama team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

International play

In 1958 Pelé went to Stockholm, Sweden, to compete in the World Cup championship, the soccer championship that brings together all of the soccer-playing nations for one tournament. His play there helped his country win its first title as Pelé scored two goals in a dramatic 4-2 win over Sweden. He returned to Santos, and his team went on to win six Brazilian titles. In 1962 he again played on the Brazilian team that won the World Cup, but an injury forced him to sit out the contest.

Soccer is a low scoring game, but on November 19, 1969, before a crowd of one hundred thousand in Rio de Janeiro, Pelé scored his one thousandth goal. He lead the Sao Paolo League in scoring for ten straight seasons. He was not only a high scorer, but a master of ball handling as well. It seemed the ball was somehow attached to his feet as he moved down the field.

In 1970 Pelé again played for Brazil's World Cup team, and in Mexico City, Mexico, they beat Italy for the championship. It was Pelé's play, both in scoring and in setting up other goals, that won them the title. When he announced that he would retire from international competition after a game to be played July 18, 1971, plans were made to televise the event throughout the world. By the time he left the game he had scored a total of 1,086 goals.

After Pelé retired, he continued to play until he was signed to play for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League for a reported three-year, $7 million contract. A year later New York was at the top of their division, and in 1977 the Cosmos won the league championship. Pelé retired for good after that victory, but continued to be active in sports circles, becoming a commentator and promoter of soccer in the United States. When the World Cup was played in Detroit, Michigan, in 1994, Pelé was there, capturing the hearts of millions of fans around the world. Later that spring, he married his second wife, Assiria Seixas Lemos. In May of 1997, he was elected Minister of Sports in his home country of Brazil.

On December 11, 2001, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) named Pelé, along with Argentina's Diego Maradona, as the men's players of the century.

For More Information

Bodo, Peter, and David Hirshey. Pelé's New World. New York: Norton, 1977.

Canazares, Susan, and Samantha Berger. Pelé, the King of Soccer. New York: Scholastic, 1999.

Harris, Harry. Pelé: His Life and Times. New York: Parkwest, 2002.

Marcus, Joe. The World of Pelé. New York: Mason/Charter, 1976.

Pelé. My Life and the Beautiful Game. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1977.

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Pelé: a global superstar and cultural icon who put passion at the heart of soccer

Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy, SKEMA Business School

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Pelé, soccer’s first global superstar, has died at the age of 82 . To many fans, the Brazilian will be remembered as the best to have ever played the game .

For others it goes further: He was the symbol of soccer played with passion, gusto and a smile. Indeed, he helped to forge an image of the game, which even today lots of people continue to crave.

Pelé wasn’t just a great player and a wonderful ambassador for the world’s favorite game ; he was a cultural icon. Indeed, he remains the face of a purity in soccer that existed long before big money and global geopolitics infiltrated the game.

It is testament to his legend that everyone from English 1966 World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton and current French superstar Kylian Mbappé to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – the former and incoming president of Brazil – and former U.S. President Barack Obama have led tributes to him.

Early days at Santos

Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in Sao Paulo state, Brazil in 1940. His early years were the same as many soccer players who preceded him and countless who then followed and were inspired by him: born into poverty , introduced to the game by a family member, later becoming obsessed by a sport that taught him about life and gave him opportunities.

Youth team football came first, in 1953, when he signed for his local club, Bauru. But it was his first professional club, Santos, that propelled Pelé toward stardom. Having moved there in 1956, he played 636 matches and scored 618 goals before leaving in 1974. Not just the beating heart of the team, Pelé was also an immense, one-club loyalist.

Long before the feats of modern-day stars Cristiano Ronaldo or Erling Haaland, Pelé blazed a goal-scoring trail that marked him out as being significantly different to other players around him. Similarly, he displayed levels of skill which even today mean that some observers of the game place the Brazilian ahead of the likes of other contenders for the title of Greatest of All Time: Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona .

Within a year of signing for Santos, Pelé made his debut for Brazil, three months short of his 17th birthday. He scored in that game against Argentina, and 65 years later he remains the Brazilian national team’s youngest-ever scorer.

A year later, in 1958, this young player helped his national team win the World Cup in Sweden. Then again in 1962 , at the World Cup in Chile, and once more at the 1970 tournament in Mexico.

Ultimately, Pelé played 92 times for Brazil, scoring 77 goals. By comparison, England’s Harry Kane has scored 53 times in 80 matches . In addition to his national team achievements, for his club Pelé won six Brazilian league titles and two South American championships.

The American years

Later, in 1975, he came out of semi-retirement to play for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League. By then, Pelé was in his mid-30s but still managed to score 37 goals in 64 matches. Some believe that it was his brief stint playing in the United States that kick-started the country’s interest in football .

After his retirement, Pelé was venerated, adored and remained influential. He became FIFA’s Player of the 20th century , an award he shared with Maradona. In 2014, he was given FIFA’s first-ever Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur , and even Nelson Mandela spoke of his regard for the Brazilian when presenting him with a Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2000.

Pelé’s talent has never been in doubt. Yet it was fortuitous that he played at a time when soccer was emerging from the shadows cast by global conflict, when the world needed symbols of hope and sporting heroes.

The Brazilian was able to serve this purpose, though he did so during a period when television – first black-and-white, then color – brought soccer directly into people’s living rooms. At the time, Pelé was Messi, Ronaldo and Mbappé rolled into one – made globally consumable by this new technology.

Inevitably, during his life, Pelé encountered problems: his commercial activities were sometimes mired in controversy; at one stage he was labeled a left-wing antagonist of the Brazilian government, then was later described as being too conservative in his views of the Brazilian dictatorship. He had numerous children – some the result of affairs – and one of them, a son, Edinho, was sent to prison for laundering money made from drug deals.

However, the abiding memory is of a man who played soccer in a way that many of us – both amateurs and professionals – have all aspired to. Pelé was not only skillful, he also brought great joy to innumerable people across the world, over a period of decades. For all of us, even those with just the slightest interest in football, we will never forget him.

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10 Things You May Not Know About Pelé

From the origins of his name to how he played his final pro game for both teams, here are some facts about the Brazilian soccer star.

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After Brazil lost the 1950 World Cup final to Uruguay, a 9 or 10-year-old Edson Arantes do Nascimento, now better known as Pelé , made a promise to his devastated father. “I remember jokingly saying to him: ‘Don’t cry, dad — I’ll win the World Cup for you,” Pelé recalled to FIFA.com in 2014. Eight years in 1958 later, however, his so-called joke became a reality when he won the first of his record-breaking three World Cup titles

Thus began Pelé's storied career, and by the time he played his final professional game in 1977, he’d netted over 1,280 career goals as part of Brazil’s Santos Football Club and the New York Cosmos. Although he was widely considered to be the greatest soccer player of all time, here are 10 things you might not know about Pelé:

He was named after Thomas Edison

As Pelé explained in a September 2014 tweet , his father João Ramos, a soccer player also known as Dondinho, and mother Dona Celeste named him Edson, after Thomas Edison . ”Electricity had just been introduced to my hometown in Brazil when I was born,” wrote the Três Corações native. First nicknamed “Dico” by his family, Pelé later explained that the moniker by which he’s currently known worldwide “really bugged” him at first.

“I was really proud that I was named after Thomas Edison and wanted to be called Edson,” he wrote in a 2006 Guardian piece . “I thought Pelé sounded horrible. It was a rubbish name. Edson sounded so much more serious and important.” Although the sports star added he “can never be 100 percent certain about the origin,” the most probable explanation is that the nickname was given to him by classmates because he mispronounced the name of one of his dad’s soccer teammates: Vasco de Sao Lourenco, a goalkeeper affectionately known as "Bilé."

“So when someone said, "Hey, Pelé," I would shout back and get angry. On one occasion I punched a classmate because of it and earned a two-day suspension,” he wrote. “Now I love the name — but back then it wound me up no end.”

He got creative when he couldn’t afford a soccer ball or shoes

Growing up in poverty, Pelé practiced his dribbling skills with a sock stuffed with rags when his family couldn’t afford to buy him an actual soccer ball. When he was 6, the family moved to a larger town in southern Brazil, where he shined shoes and sold roasted peanuts outside movie theaters to earn money for a soccer ball. Unable to afford shoes himself, he also frequently played barefoot, and his friends eventually formed a team called the Shoeless Ones. Later, barefooted games played in vacant lots became known as “ pelada ,” believed to be named after Pelé.

His first contract was far from lucrative

At 15 years old, Pelé signed his first contract with Santos in 1956, earning just $10 a month. According to ESPN, he used his pay to buy his mother a gas stove, though their town didn’t haven’t the capability to pipe gas into homes. Years later, he signed a three-year $7 million contract with the New York Cosmos in 1975, making him the highest‐paid team athlete in the world at the time. The New York Times estimated that $2 million of the deal went to taxes for the native Brazilian, however. “He will pay his own taxes, just like every American,” Cosmos vice president and general manager Clive Toye explained in 1975, per the newspaper.

He’s a Brazilian national treasure — literally

After Pelé led Brazil’s national team to their first World Cup win in 1958, European clubs such as Real Madrid, Juventus, Inter Milan and Manchester United began courting the rising star. In order to prevent him from being traded to foreign teams, Brazilian President Jânio Quadros eventually had Pelé declared a national treasure in 1961.

“Well, first of all it was an honor for me. But I pay income tax like anybody else,” he joked to Esquire in 2016. “I was invited — I had several proposals to play in Europe. For Real Madrid, for AC Milan, for Bayern Munich. But at that time, we didn't have too many Brazilian players outside the country. I was very happy at my team, Santos. I didn't have the desire to play outside the country.”

He held two Guinness World Records

By the end of his career, Pelé had won three FIFA World Cups with Brazil (in 1958, 1962 and 1970), earning him the most wins by any player. Of course, that’s but one of the many records he broke on the soccer field. The four goals Pelé scored in his 1956 professional debut only set the stage for the 1,283 total goals he’d go on to rack up over the years. There is some debate over Guinness’ total number, however, since multiple outlets reported that he scored more than 500 of those goals in “unofficial friendlies and tour games,” rather than in professional competition.

Henry Kissinger convinced him to play in the U.S.

After Pelé retired from the Brazilian national team and Santos in 1974, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger traveled to Sao Paulo to convince him to return to gameplay for the New York Cosmos. "He invited me to go to the cafe with him, and there he said, 'Listen. You know I'm from the United States, and I'm in politics there. Soccer is coming along there-they're playing it in the schools. Would you like to help us promote soccer in the United States?'” Pelé, who didn’t speak English at the time, recalled to Esquire in 2016. “And I said, 'My God.'"

Prior to him signing a reported $7 million, three-year contract with the New York Cosmos, Kissinger reportedly sent him a telegram that read: “Should you decide to sign a contract, I am sure your stay in the United States will substantially contribute to closer ties between Brazil and the United States in the field of sports.”

He once (temporarily) stopped a war

Kissinger noted in a 1999 Time article that both sides in Nigeria’s civil war called a 48-hour cease-fire in 1967 so Pelé could play an exhibition match in the capital of Lagos. Santos' website elaborates that the region's military governor Samuel Ogbemudia declared a holiday and opened up a bridge so that both sides could watch Pelé’s 2-1 victory over Nigeria.

“We were asked to play a friendly match on Benin City, in the middle of a Civil War, but Santos was so beloved that they agreed on a ceasefire on the matchday. It became known as the day that 'Santos stopped the war,'” Pelé tweeted in 2020. (In recent years, however, some have debated the extent of the reported ceasefire.)

He was friends with Nelson Mandela

Pelé left a family holiday to play in 2007’s “ 90 Minutes for Mandela ” charity match in honor of the South African president ’s 89th birthday. During a joint press conference, Pelé awarded Mandela an autographed jersey, which the latter called a “priceless gift” he’d treasure for the rest of his life.

“He was my hero, my friend, and also a companion to me in our fight for the people and for world peace,” Pelé tweeted following Mandela’s 2013 death, also calling the leader “one of the most influential people” in his life.

He played for both teams in his final pro game

In October 1977, Pelé competed in his final professional game in an exhibition match between the New York Cosmos and Santos F.C. in front of 77,000 spectators — including Muhammad Ali — at New Jersey’s Giants Stadium. He played the first half of the game for Santos, scoring one goal, and then switched jerseys and played for the Cosmos in the second half. The Cosmos eventually won the match with a final score of 2-1.

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II

Despite not being of British descent, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed upon Pelé the honorary title of Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE) in 1997 for his humanitarian work and activism. Beginning in 1994, Pelé served as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Champion for Sport and a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, creating such campaigns as Children in Need fundraising in 1996, and the Match of the Hearth, in 2000. “It will always stay in my memory,” he tweeted in 2020 of his honorary knighthood. “I thank all the British people for their affection.”

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"If you would use the word perfect, Pele almost is there. He was the greatest soccer player in the history of this game, " says former West German star Franz Beckenbauer on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury.

"Heroes walk alone, but they become myths when they ennoble the lives and touch the hearts of all of us," said former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. "For those who love soccer, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, generally known as Pele, is a hero."

Pele. A name short in length, but long in significance. There are many stories that explain where the name came from, but none can explain the phenomenon.

It all started in the backwoods of Brazil, where a young boy nicknamed Dico was playing his favorite game better than any of the other neighborhood kids. One day, the other boys started calling him Pele. He didn't know where the name came from, since it had no meaning in Portuguese, but he didn't like it. Dico fought the other kids thinking the name Pele was an insult. No matter. The name stuck.

Pele, the athlete, came out of nowhere as well. In 1958, people turned on the television to watch the first international broadcast of the World Cup. Black and white screens flickered as a skinny 17-year-old, playing with imagination and verve, ran circles around seasoned veterans. By the end of that World Cup, the name Pele had shot across the globe.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Pele traveled the world with his club team Santos and his national team Brazil, entertaining crowds with his magical brand of soccer. He scored 1,281 goals in his 22-year career. But you didn't have to see him to believe in him. His name became a myth that traveled to the far reaches of the world. The world wanted to touch, to witness Pele. Other than Muhammad Ali, no other athlete could rival the magnitude of his popularity.

In Nigeria a two-day truce was declared in the war with Biafra so that both sides could see him play. The Shah of Iran waited three hours at an airport just to speak with Pele. A survey in the early 1970s showed that the name Pele ranked behind only Coca-Cola as the most popular brand in Europe.

Pele's feats on the field only fueled his fame. On Nov. 19, 1969, he scored his 1,000th goal, an unprecedented achievement that was celebrated with gusto in Brazil. But even he had to share the headlines the next day because Americans Conrad and Bean had landed on the moon.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born on Oct. 23, 1940 to Dondinho and Dona Celeste in the impoverished town of Tres Coracoes in the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. Pele's father was a local professional soccer player who held the distinction of scoring five goals with his head in one game.

Pele created his own reputation as a soccer player with the Bauru Athletic Club. His skills were noticed by a former World Cup player, Valdemar de Brito, who took him to Santos, a midlevel club team on the coast of Brazil. In his first full season at Santos, he scored a league-leading 32 goals. Soon afterward, the 17-year-old was selected for Brazil's 1958 World Cup.

Pele missed the first two games of the tournament in Sweden with a knee injury. He made up for lost time by scoring the game-winning goal in the quarterfinals and a hat trick in the semifinals. After Pele's two goals in the final, his teammates lifted the child prodigy onto their shoulders and hoisted their country's first Jules Rimet Trophy.

Brazilian playwright Nelson Rodrigues anointed Pele "the King." Journalist Joao Luiz de Albuquerque talked about the impact of Pele's performance: "He was the light at the end of the tunnel. All the poor said, hey, this guy made it, I can make it. He brought the rest of Brazil with him."

The new king of soccer was feted with record offers from European teams, including a million-dollar bid by Inter Milan of Italy. The extraordinary proposals prompted Brazilian president Janio Quadros to decree Pele a "national treasure."

With its top player's newfound fame, Santos turned into the Harlem Globetrotters of international soccer, with Pele receiving a hefty share of Santos' exhibition fees. He became the world's highest paid team-sport athlete with an annual income estimated at $150,000.

For all of his exploits with Santos in the 1960s, Pele suffered through the 1962 and 1966 World Cups. He sustained a groin injury in a game leading up to the 1962 tournament in Chile. While Pele scored a goal in a 2-0 win over Mexico in the first game, he aggravated the injury in the following contest, against Czechoslovakia, and was sidelined for the rest of the tournament. His replacement, Amarildo, filled in admirably, scoring three goals as Brazil successfully defended its crown.

Pele returned to the world stage in 1966 as Brazil went after an unprecedented third straight World Cup. However, misfortune shadowed him again as an injury limited him to two games. Brazil lost two of three and failed to advance past the first round.

Going into the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, there were questions surrounding Pele's legacy. He spoke about the criticism in Pele: His Life and Times . "I wanted to put to rest once and for all, the idea that I couldn't enter a World Cup series without getting hurt," he wrote.

The king of soccer was true to his word during the three-week competition, scoring four goals and handing out six assists. Brazil beat Italy 4-1 in the final with Pele's opening goal being the country's 100th in World Cup history. Tarcisio Burgnich, the defender who marked Pele in the final, said, "I told myself before the game, he's made of skin and bones just like everyone else. But I was wrong."

Pele was the first to play on three World Cup winners, as Brazil's win secured the right to take the Jules Rimet Trophy home for good.

In 1974, the player nicknamed the Black Pearl played his last game for Santos. He had been planning on retirement but a bad business deal left him $1 million in debt. Top European teams sought to sign the king. But Pele also entertained an offer from the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League.

"It really was ludicrous to think that Pele, the greatest player of all, was going to end up playing for this ridiculous little team in New York drawing 1,500 people," said Clive Toye, the Cosmos general manager. "But I told him don't go to Italy, don't go to Spain, all you can do is win a championship. Come to the U.S. and you can win a country."

In 1975 Pele signed a $2.8-million, three-year contract with the Cosmos. His presence in the NASL helped boost average attendance by almost 80 percent from 1975 (7,597) to 1977 (13,584).

After leading the Cosmos to the league championship in 1977, Pele played his final game. On a somber day at Giants Stadium, Pele, who played one half for the Cosmos and the other half for Santos, scored his final goal. A Brazilian newspaper noted about the atmosphere of the rainy day, "Even the Sky Was Crying."

After Pele retired, he took his energy as an athlete and put it into his career as a global pitchman and ambassador for soccer. He has spent time broadcasting, writing columns, representing products such as Coca-Cola, MasterCard and Viagra, and even dabbling in politics when he became Brazil's Minister of Sport in 1994.

It has been more than a quarter of a century since his last competitive game, and yet Pele cannot visit any country without crowds flocking. When a reporter asked if his fame compared to that of Jesus Christ's, Pele replied, "There are parts of the world where Jesus Christ is not so well known."