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Why is Pelé significant?

How did pelé become famous, what are pelé’s achievements, how was pelé influential.

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• ESPN Classic - Pele, King of Futbol
• BBC News - Pele: A sporting icon who made football beautiful
• BlackPast - Biography of Pele
• Pelé - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Pelé - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Brazilian football (soccer) player Pelé is regarded as perhaps the greatest player in the history the game. During his career he was probably the most famous and possibly the best-paid athlete in the world. He was part of the Brazilian national teams that won three World Cup championships (1958, 1962, and 1970).

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, debuted for the Brazilian national football (soccer) team in 1957 at age 16. He scored a hat trick in the 1958 World Cup semifinal against France and two goals in the victory over Sweden in the championship game. Afterward the Brazilian government declared him a national treasure.

Pelé’s electrifying play and penchant for scoring spectacular goals made him a star around the world. He led Brazil to three World Cup football (soccer) championships (1958, 1962, and 1970). He scored 12 goals in World Cup play and tallied more than 1,000 goals in first-class matches. In 1999 he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee.

In addition to having been named a national treasure by the Brazilian government in 1958, Pelé was such a huge international star that when his club team, Santos FC, traveled to Nigeria in 1967, a 48-hour cease-fire in that country’s civil war was called to allow all to watch him play.

Pelé (born October 23, 1940, Três Corações, Brazil—died December 29, 2022, São Paulo, Brazil) was a Brazilian football (soccer) player, in his time probably the most famous and possibly the best-paid athlete in the world. He was part of the Brazilian national teams that won three World Cup championships (1958, 1962, and 1970).

After playing for a minor league club at Bauru , São Paulo state, Pelé (whose nickname apparently is without significance) was rejected by major club teams in the city of São Paulo . In 1956, however, he joined the Santos Football Club, which, with Pelé at inside left forward, won nine São Paulo league championships and, in 1962 and 1963, both the Libertadores Cup and the Intercontinental Club Cup. Sometimes called “Pérola Negra” (“Black Pearl”), he became a Brazilian national hero. He combined kicking power and accuracy with a remarkable ability to anticipate other players’ moves. After the 1958 World Cup , Pelé was declared a national treasure by the Brazilian government in order to ward off large offers from European clubs and ensure that he would remain in Brazil . On November 19, 1969, in his 909th first-class match, he scored his 1,000th goal.

Pelé made his international debut in 1957 at age 16 and the following year played his first game in the World Cup finals in Sweden . The Brazilian manager was initially hesitant to play his young star. When Pelé finally reached the field, he had an immediate impact, rattling the post with one shot and collecting an assist. He had a hat trick in the semifinal against France and two goals in the championship game, where Brazil defeated Sweden 5–2. At the 1962 World Cup finals, Pelé tore a thigh muscle in the second match and had to sit out the remainder of the tournament. Nonetheless, Brazil went on to claim its second World Cup title. Rough play and injuries turned the 1966 World Cup into a disaster for both Brazil and Pelé, as the team went out in the first round, and he contemplated retiring from World Cup play. Returning in 1970 for one more World Cup tournament, he teamed with young stars Jairzinho and Rivelino to claim Brazil’s third title and permanent ownership of the Jules Rimet Trophy. Pelé finished his World Cup career having scored 12 goals in 14 games.

Pelé’s electrifying play and penchant for spectacular goals made him a star around the world. His team Santos toured internationally in order to take full advantage of his popularity. In 1967 he and his team traveled to Nigeria, where a 48-hour cease-fire in that nation’s civil war was called to allow all to watch the great player.

Pelé announced his retirement in 1974 but in 1975 agreed to a three-year $7 million contract with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League and to promote the game in the United States . He retired after leading the Cosmos to the league championship in 1977.

Pelé was the recipient of the International Peace Award in 1978. In 1980 he was named Athlete of the Century by the French sports publication L’Equipe , and he received the same honor in 1999 from the International Olympic Committee . In 2014 the Pelé Museum opened in Santos, Brazil. In addition to his accomplishments in sports, he published several best-selling autobiographies and starred in several successful documentary and semi-documentary films. He also composed numerous musical pieces, including the soundtrack for the film Pelé (1977).

Biography Online

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

Related pages

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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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Pelé, a Name That Became Shorthand for Perfection

The best gauge of what Pelé meant to soccer is that he was synonymous with excellence even before people saw him play.

By Rory Smith

Of all the myriad things Pelé did — the thousand-plus goals he scored and the array of records he set and the innumerable, immeasurable moments of wonder he conjured — the one that is the most famous, the most familiar, may also have been the most ordinary, the most mundane.

Pelé’s crowning glory was a pass, one played with a nonchalant ease in the fading minutes of the World Cup final in 1970, a moment of glorious, acoustic simplicity from a player whose name had been made and whose legend had been burnished because of his mastery of the impossibly complex.

The pass itself was not easy because of Pelé’s quick, brilliant mind, or because of his flawless technique, or because of the economy of his movement. It was not a pass that he made look easy. It was, by the standards of those who can breathe in the rarefied air of a World Cup final, a pass that was easy.

Standing a few yards outside Italy’s penalty area, he receives the ball from Jairzinho, darting in from the left. Pelé takes one touch to control it, a second to confirm receipt. He takes a third, idly, as he ponders his next move. At no point does he indicate he is in a hurry. He is essentially stationary throughout.

And then, out of the corner of his eye, he sees Carlos Alberto, his captain, charging forward to his right, a single blast of motion in a world of stillness. He waits a beat. Then he plays the pass, almost with a shrug, gently guiding the ball to the exact spot where Carlos Alberto requires it to be so that he can meet it, at full speed, without breaking stride.

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Pelé, Brazilian soccer legend, dies at 82

Brazilian soccer icon Pelé, regarded as the sport’s greatest player, whose wizardry on the pitch helped popularize it as “the beautiful game,” died Thursday after a yearlong bout with cancer.

His daughter confirmed the death on Instagram. “Everything we are is because of you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace,” Kely Nascimento wrote.

The Brazilian legend , whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, helped his country win the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and he remains the national team’s co-scoring leader, with 77 goals in 92 matches.

Brazil's current superstar, Neymar, tied him at the 2022 Qatar World Cup , scoring his 77th goal in 124 games.

A post on Pelé’s Facebook page said he “enchanted the world with his genius in sport, stopped a war, carried out social works all over the world and spread what he most believed to be the cure for all our problems: love.”

“His message today becomes a legacy for future generations,” the post said.

Pelé became the World Cup's youngest scorer in 1958 when he bagged a goal against Wales in Stockholm at the age of 17 years and 239 days. His record still stands, and he is still the only player under 18 to have scored in a World Cup.

He would also help Brazil triumph in the 1962 tournament in Chile, and, after injury ruled him out of the competition four years later in England, he lit up the Mexico World Cup in 1970.

Speaking to soccer's governing body, FIFA, for Pelé's 80th birthday tribute, Tarcisio Burgnich, an Italian defender in the final that year, admitted that he had struggled against him.

“I told myself before the game, ‘He’s made of skin and bones just like everyone else,’” he said. “But I was wrong.”

Pelé's name and dominance on the pitch came to represent the sport itself.

While North Americans know the game as “soccer” and most of the globe knows it as “football,” virtually everyone agrees it’s “the beautiful game”  — or “o jogo bonito” to Brazilians and Portuguese.

While the exact origins of that phrase can be debated, its popularization can be traced to the 1977 biography “Pele, My Life and the Beautiful Game” by Pelé and Robert L. Fish.

Born into poverty in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state on Oct. 23, 1940, Pelé honed his skills playing with a grapefruit before he signed with the Brazilian team Santos at age 15.

He would go on to great success with the team, winning over 20 major titles, before he signed with the New York Cosmos in the fledgling North American Soccer League in 1975.

Pelé and the Cosmos played a key role in building the sport’s U.S. profile and popularity before he closed out his professional career in 1977.

The glamorous Cosmos, led by aging stars such as Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia, won Soccer Bowl '77 and along the way attracted some of the biggest crowds that had ever seen a soccer match on U.S. soil.

Pelé's Cosmos defeated the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in a playoff match before 77,691 fans at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was the biggest crowd to ever see an NASL match.

The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes Pelé as having scored the most goals during a specified period, with 1,279 in 1,363 games from Sept. 7, 1956, to Oct. 1, 1977.

Such was his acclaim that Pelé transcended the world of sport, becoming a recognizable figure even to those who did not follow the game. He rubbed shoulders with the likes of boxing's Muhammad Ali , Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger and pop artist Andy Warhol , who created a portrait of him.

“Pelé was one of the few who contradicted my theory: Instead of 15 minutes of fame, he will have 15 centuries,” Warhol said.

Pelé also was a regular White House visitor, gaining invitations from Presidents Richard Nixon , Gerald Ford , Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan .

In 1986, when Reagan invited Pelé for a state dinner in honor of Brazilian President José Sarney, he said: “My name is Ronald Reagan. I’m the president of the United States of America. But you don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pelé is.”

After his soccer career ended, Pelé starred in several movies, including “Escape to Victory,” starring Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine, and several documentaries about his life.

But he was perhaps best known for his ambassadorial work with the United Nations, in which he campaigned against the aggressive marketing of baby milk formulas and on environmental issues, among other causes.

In 1999, he was recognized as one of Time magazine’s “100 Persons of the Century.”

A supporter of various charities throughout his life, he set up the Pelé Foundation in 2018 to help impoverished children.

Married three times, Pelé confessed in a 2021 Netflix documentary named after him that he had so many affairs that he didn’t even know how many children he had.

His seven known offspring include Sandra Machado, whom he refused to acknowledge even after a court-ordered DNA test proved she was his daughter. She would go on to write the book “The Daughter the King Didn’t Want,” before she died in 2006 at 42.

Five other children — Kelly, 55; Edinho, 51; Jennifer, 43; and twins Joshua and Celeste, 25 — came from his first two marriages, to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi and Assiria Lemos Seixas. His daughter Flávia Kurtz, 53, was born to Lenita Kurtz in 1968.

In 2016, Pelé married his third wife, Márcia Cibele Aoki, whom he described as his “definitive love” on social media.

Pelé had surgery to remove a colon tumor in September 2021 and had been checking in with the Albert Einstein hospital in the Brazilian city of São Paulo every month since.

The hospital said he was admitted late last month to regulate medication for an infection.

News of his death sent shock waves throughout the sports world and beyond. Former England soccer player Gary Lineker said Pelé was the “ most divine of footballers and joyous of men ,” while Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo said a “mere ‘goodbye’ ... will never be enough to express the pain that the entire football world is currently embracing.”

French soccer player Kylian Mbappé said on Twitter : “The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING.”

Former England star Geoff Hurst said on Twitter that Pelé was "without doubt the best footballer I ever played against."

“For me Pele remains the greatest of all time and I was proud to be on the pitch with him. RIP Pele and thank you,” he tweeted.

André Ceciliano, the state deputy of Rio de Janeiro, called Pelé the “greatest Brazilian sporting idol of all time.”

“Brazil is in mourning,” he said in a tweet . “Thank you for everything.”

Former U.S. President Barack Obama tweeted: "Pelé was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game . And as one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together."

"Our thoughts are with his family and everyone who loved and admired him," he said.

Mithil Aggarwal is a Hong Kong-based reporter/producer for NBC News.

Senior Breaking News Reporter

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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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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As ‘The King,’ Pelé enchanted fans and dazzled opponents

FILE - Brazil’s Pele is hoisted on the shoulders of his teammates after Brazil won the World Cup final against Italy, 4-1, in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, June 21, 1970. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Brazilian soccer star Pele relaxes after a workout in Santos, Brazil, June 3, 1975. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Brazil’s Pele scores past Venezuela’s goal keeper Fabrizio Fasano in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 24, 1969. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Soccer star Pele, of the New York Cosmos, listens to the star-spangled banner prior to a playoff game between the Cosmos and the Rochester Lancers in Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, Aug. 24, 1977. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo/Ray Stubblebine, File)

FILE - Brazil’s 17-year-old Pele weeps on the shoulder of goalkeeper Gylmar Dos Santos Neves after Brazil’s 5-2 victory over Sweden in the final of the soccer World Cup in Stockholm, Sweden, June 29, 1958. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo File)

FILE - Brazilian soccer legend Pele smiles during a media opportunity at a restaurant in London, March 20, 2015. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

FILE - Pele gives a soccer demonstration during the taping of the Johnny Carson Show at NBC-TV studios in New York, May 9, 1973. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Brazilian soccer legend Pele, center top, and his son Edson Cholbi do Nascimento, above at right, wave with children during during the centennial anniversary celebration of the team in Santos, Brazil, April 14, 2012. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine, File)

FILE - Former Brazilian soccer player Pele, left, celebrates at the end of the Copa Libertadores soccer final match between Brazil’s Santos and Uruguay’s Penarol in Sao Paulo, Brazil, June 22, 2011. Santos won 2-1. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File)

FILE - Soccer player Neymar, left, and Brazalian soccer legend Pele, share a laugh during a centennial anniversary celebration of the team in Santos, Brazil. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine, File)

FILE - Brazilian soccer legend Pele waves prior to the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Ivory Coast and Zambia at Stade de L’Amitie in Libreville, Gabon, Feb. 12, 2012. Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died in Sao Paulo on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. He was 82. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

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SAO PAULO (AP) — Pelé was simply “The King.” He embraced “the beautiful game” of soccer in his 1958 World Cup debut for Brazil and never really let go.

He won a record three World Cups and was widely regarded as one of his sport’s greatest players. His majestic and galvanizing presence set him among the most recognizable figures in the world.

Pelé died Thursday at 82. He had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021.

Pelé was among the game’s most prolific scorers and spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents. His grace, athleticism and moves on soccer’s highest stage transfixed all. He orchestrated a fast, fluid style of play that revolutionized the sport — a flair that personified Brazilian elegance on the field.

He carried his country to soccer’s heights and became a global ambassador for his sport in a journey that began on the streets of Sao Paulo state, where he would kick a sock stuffed with newspapers or rags.

“Pelé changed everything. He transformed football into art, entertainment,” Neymar, a fellow Brazilian soccer player, said on Instagram. “Football and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure. Pelé is eternal!”

In the conversation about soccer’s greatest player, only the late Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are mentioned alongside him.

Different sources, counting different sets of games, list Pelé’s goal totals anywhere between 650 (league matches) to 1,281 (all senior matches, some against low-level competition). When Maradona once interviewed Pelé, he playfully asked the Brazilian how he accumulated so many goals.

The player who would be dubbed “The King” was introduced to the world at 17 at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, the youngest player ever at the tournament.

Pelé was the emblem of his country’s World Cup triumph of 1970 in Mexico. He scored in the final and set up Carlos Alberto with a nonchalant pass for the last goal in a 4-1 victory over Italy.

The image of Pelé in a bright-yellow Brazil jersey, with the No. 10 stamped on the back, remains alive with soccer fans everywhere. As does his trademark goal celebration — a leap with a right fist thrust high above his head.

Pelé’s fame was such that in 1967 factions of a civil war in Nigeria agreed to a brief cease-fire so he could play an exhibition match in the country. He was knighted by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in 1997. When Pelé visited Washington to help popularize the game in North America, it was the U.S. president who stuck out his hand first.

“You don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pelé is,” Ronald Reagan said.

Pelé was Brazil’s first modern Black national hero but rarely spoke about racism in a country where the rich and powerful tend to hail from the white minority.

Opposing fans taunted Pelé with monkey chants at home and all over the world.

“He said that he would never play if he had to stop every time he heard those chants,” said Angelica Basthi, one of Pelé’s biographers. “He is key for Black people’s pride in Brazil, but never wanted to be a flagbearer.”

The Life of the King Pelé

Pelé’s life after soccer took many forms. He was a politician — Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport — a wealthy businessman, and an ambassador for UNESCO and the United Nations.

He had roles in movies, soap operas and even composed songs and recorded CDs of popular Brazilian music.

Pelé was an ambassador for his sport until his final years but as his health deteriorated his travels and appearances became less frequent. After needing a hip replacement, he started using a cane.

He was often seen in a wheelchair during his final years and did not attend a ceremony to unveil a statue of him representing Brazil’s 1970 World Cup team.

“He gets very shy, he gets very embarrassed,” his son Edinho told Globoesporte.com. “He doesn’t want to go out.”

Pelé spent his 80th birthday with a few relatives.

Pelé spent a month hospitalized in 2021 after surgery to remove a tumor from his colon. Pelé said he was ready “to play 90 minutes, plus extra time,” but soon started chemotherapy.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, in the small city of Tres Coracoes in the interior of Minas Gerais state on Oct. 23, 1940, Pelé grew up shining shoes to buy his modest soccer gear. His father was also a player.

Pelé’s talent drew notice when he was 11, and a local professional player brought him to Santos’ youth squads. Despite his youth and 5-foot-8 frame Pelé’ scored against grown men with the same ease he displayed against friends back home. He debuted with the Brazilian club at 15 in 1956, and the club quickly gained worldwide recognition.

The name Pelé came from him mispronouncing the name of a player called Bilé. He later became known simply as ‘O Rei’ – The King.

Pelé went to the 1958 World Cup as a reserve but became a key part for his country’s championship team. His first goal, in which he flicked the ball over the head of a defender and raced around him to volley it home, was voted as one of the best in World Cup history.

“When Pelé scored,” veteran Swedish midfielder Sigge Parling said, “I have to be honest and say I felt like applauding.”

The 1966 World Cup in England — won by the hosts — was a bitter one for Pelé, by then already considered the world’s top player. Brazil was knocked out at the group stage and Pelé, angry at fouls and hard tackles by Portugal, swore it was his last World Cup.

He changed his mind and was rejuvenated in the 1970 World Cup. In a game against England, he struck a header for a certain score, but the great goalkeeper Gordon Banks flipped the ball over the bar in an astonishing move. Pelé likened the save — one of the best in World Cup history — to a “salmon climbing up a waterfall.” Later, he scored the opening goal in the final against Italy, his last World Cup match.

In all, Pelé played 114 matches with Brazil, scoring a record 95 goals — including 77 in official matches. Most of his goals came with Santos, which he led to five national titles, two Copa Libertadores trophies and two club world championships — all in the 1960s.

His run with Santos stretched over three decades until he went into semi-retirement after the 1972 season. Wealthy European clubs tried to sign him, but the Brazilian government intervened to keep him from being sold, declaring him a national treasure.

On the field, Pelé’s energy, vision and imagination drove a gifted Brazilian national team, with intricate passing combinations slicing defenses while leaving room for players to showcase flashy skills.

The fast, fluid style of play exemplified “O Jogo Bonito” — Portuguese for “The Beautiful Game.” And at the center of it all, like a maestro in command of his orchestra, was Pelé. It was his 1977 autobiography, “My Life and the Beautiful Game,” that made the phrase part of soccer’s lexicon.

In 1975, he joined the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Although he was past his prime at 34 years old, Pelé briefly gave soccer a higher profile in North America before ending his career on Oct. 1, 1977, in an exhibition between the Cosmos and Santos. Among the dignitaries on hand was perhaps the only other athlete whose renown spanned the globe — Muhammad Ali.

Pelé had two daughters out of wedlock and five children from his first two marriages, to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi and Assiria Seixas Lemos. He later married businesswoman Marcia Cibele Aoki.

Azzoni is based in Madrid.

Pele Biography

Birthday: October 23 , 1940 ( Libra )

Born In: Tres Coracoes, Brazil

Pele was a legendary sporting figure and an iconic soccer player who during his active years ruled the game to the point of being called the ‘King of Football’. He is widely regarded by football fans, critics, experts, and players (current and retired) as the best player of all time. With his impeccable style, electrifying play, and impressive performance, he scored a total of 1279 goals in 1363 games. It was his deep-embedded penchant for the game and knack for scoring spectacular goals that made him a star around the world. He was praised for his exceptional heading ability, powerful shot, and unbowed goal-scoring. A Brazilian national team footballer and key player for the Santos club, he played a major role in every game he played. While on the field, he gave his hundred percent to every match and played like an unbeaten pro since his very first professional game. Over his career that spanned a little over two decades, he showcased some incredible performances and catapulted the popularity of the game astronomically. Other than his spectacular showmanship on the field, Pele was regarded as the ultimate humanitarian as well, for he raised his voice to enhance the living standard and social conditions of the poor, a number of times.

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Nick Name: The King

Also Known As: Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele

Age: 83 Years , 83 Year Old Males

Spouse/Ex-: Assíria Lemos Seixas (m. 1994–2008), Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi (m. 1966–1982)

father: Dondinho

mother: Dona Celeste Arantes

children: Celeste Nascimento, Edson Cholbi Nascimento, Flávia Christina Kurtz Nascimento, Jennifer Nascimento, Joshua Nascimento, Kelly Cristina Nascimento, Sandra Regina Arantes do Nascimento

Born Country: Brazil

Football Players Brazilian Men

awards: 1995 - Brazil's Gold Medal for outstanding services to the sport

You wanted to know

What position did pele play in football, how many world cup titles did pele win, which club did pele spend the majority of his career playing for, what was a notable achievement of pele's career besides winning the world cup.

One of Pele's notable achievements was scoring over 1000 career goals during his playing career.

What impact did Pele have on promoting football globally?

Pele is credited with popularizing the sport of football globally and inspiring generations of players around the world.

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Pele was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento to Dondinho and Dona Celeste Arantes. He was the first child of the couple. He grew up with a younger brother named Zoca. His father was also a soccer player.

Originally nicknamed Dico, his friends started calling him Pele after his favorite football player Vasco da Gama ‘Bile’, whom he mispronounced as ‘Pele.’

Struck by poverty, he took up various odd jobs as a child to earn extra money. He received his early lessons in soccer from his father and played for various amateur teams in his youth.

Blessed with a talent for the game and a style of his own, he found himself a place at the Bauru Athletic Club juniors, which was coached by Waldemar de Brito. He led the team to three consecutive victories from 1954 to 1956. Additionally, he won several local indoor football competitions and championships.

Convinced of the phenomenal talent that he possessed, football star de Brito took Pele to Santos where he was inducted into the professional club, Santos FC. Pele signed a contract in June 1956 and played his first professional game in September. In the game, he scored his first professional goal against Corinthians Santo Andre.

By early 1957, he became a regular in the team and no sooner, the top scorer of the league. It was his remarkable performance that earned him a place in the national team of Brazil.

He played his first international game in July 1957 against Argentina. Though Brazil lost the match by 2-1, he scored his first international goal, thus becoming the youngest player ever to score in international football.

The year 1958 was a year of accomplishments. Not only did he help Santos register a win at the Campeonato Paulista—a top-flight professional football league in Brazil—with 58 goals, a feat unmatched to date, but he was also part of the Brazilian team which won the World Cup.

Pele made significant contributions in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals of the 1958 World Cup and scored a total of six goals in four matches. He broke a number of records in the 1958 World Cup.

His dream run of success was shortly halted as Santos lost their Paulista title in 1959, but continued with full force in 1960 as he displayed extraordinary performance on the field thereby helping Santos regain the title. The club won the Taça Brasil with him as the top scorer. It was these wins that helped Santos play Copa Libertadores, South America's premier club football tournament.

The year 1962 was the best club year of his career as he not only guided Santos in the Copa Libertadores competition to record a thrilling victory but helped the club register wins at the Campeonato Brasileiro, Taça Brasil, and 1962 Intercontinental Cup.

As for the 1962 World Cup, despite much hype and hoopla, injury took the better of him as he remained out for most of the tournament.

The year 1963 replicated the success of the previous year as Santos became the successful defending champion of the Copa Libertadores. Though the club was unable to regain the Paulista trophy, it recorded a victory at the Rio-São Paulo tournament, Intercontinental Cup, and the Taça Brasil.

Post the wins recorded in 1964 and 1965, the club’s steep climb upward rebounded and so did his contribution to the club. Though the club won the Paulista trophy for three consecutive years, Pele was not a major contributor to the fare.

The 1966 World Cup brought much pain for Pele as he was injured due to the persistent fouling by the Bulgarians. The result was Brazil’s exit from the World Cup after the first round.

He scored his 1000th goal against Vasco da Gama from a penalty kick at the Maracana Stadium in 1969. He dedicated his goal to Brazil’s poor children.

The 1970 World Cup was the last World Cup in which Pele participated. He played in all the qualifying matches and contributed 14 of the 19 goals that Brazil struck in the tournament. Brazil won the World Cup and Pele was named ‘Player of the Tournament’ for his impressive performance and extensive contribution.

Pele’s last international match was against Yugoslavia on July 18, 1971, in Rio de Janeiro. As for his club years, the 1974 season was the 19th and last season that he played for Santos before retiring.

In 1976, he emerged from semi-retirement by signing a contract with New York Cosmos. He led the club to the 1977 NASL championship in his final season with the club.

Officially his last game was on October 1, 1977, an exhibition match between Cosmos and Santos. He played the first half for the Cosmos and the second half for Santos. His last official goal was a direct free kick against Santos in the first half-time. Cosmos won the match, 2-1.

Post his hugely successful soccer career, he was appointed as a UN ambassador for ecology and the environment in 1992.

In 1995, he was appointed as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

For his impressive line-up of victories and his extraordinary role in catapulting the status of the sport to newer heights, he received numerous prestigious honors and decorations including Brazil's Gold Medal, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC.

The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) voted him as the Football Player of the Century in 1999. Additionally, he was elected as the ‘Athlete of the Century’ by the International Olympic Committee and Reuters News Agency.

In 2010, he was appointed as the Honorary President of New York Cosmos. In 2012, he was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh for ‘significant contribution to humanitarian and environmental causes, as well as his sporting achievements’.

Pele's first marriage was with Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi in 1966. The couple was blessed with two daughters. They divorced in 1982.

From 1981 to 1986, he was romantically involved with Xuxa, whom he aided to become a model. Xuxa was only 17 years old when they started to date.

In 1994, he married psychologist and gospel singer Assíria Lemos Seixas. She gave birth to twins, Joshua and Celeste. The couple later separated.

Pele died of Colon Cancer on 29 December 2022, at the age of 82, in São Paulo, Brazil. A grand funeral was organized to lay the legend to rest.

Pele's real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, but he was widely known by his nickname, Pele, which he got in school and means nothing in particular.

Pele was a talented musician and had released several albums showcasing his singing and guitar-playing skills.

Pele was a global ambassador for the sport of football and had worked tirelessly to promote the game and its positive impact on society.

See the events in life of Pele in Chronological Order

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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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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: 83 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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Sergio Aguero Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life

• Born October 23 , 1940 · Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil
• Died December 29 , 2022 · Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil (colon cancer)
• Birth name Edson Arantes do Nascimento
• The Black Pearl
• The King Pelé
• The King of Football
• Height 5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
• Simply he was, and for many people still is, the greatest football player of the world. Not a single thing was impossible for him: he won three World Cups with his National Team of Brazil (Sweden 1958, Chile 1962, Mexico 1970). He scored more than 1.200 goals during his long career (more than 1.300 official matches). He also won many national Leagues and Continental Cups ("Copa Libertadores"), with his team, the Santos Futebol Clube (of Brazilian 'São Paulo' State). In the '60s, he was nick-named "O Rei" (The King), and in the '70s, ninety-five people out of 100 knew his name. ("Wow, man, you're popular!" said Robert Redford , some years ago, after seeing Pelé give dozens of autographs in New York while he was not asked for one). In the late 1960s, when he and his team, Santos, went to Nigeria to play a few friendly matches, the ongoing civil war stopped for the duration of his visit. He finished his career in the New York Cosmos, in 1977. He later became a United Nations Ambassador and has been also Minister for Sports in his country, but, for the people who saw him make magics with his right foot, he is, now and forever, the biggest footballer in the world, and the one and only "King". - IMDb Mini Biography By: Sergio D'Afflitto <[email protected]>
• Pelé is a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Pelé is the most successful domestic league goal-scorer in football history scoring 650 goals in 694 League matches, and in total 1281 goals in 1363 games, which included unofficial friendlies and is a Guinness World Records (2004) . During his playing days, Pelé was for a period the best-paid athlete in the world. Pelé began playing for Santos F.C. at age 15 and the Brazil National Football Team at 16. During his international career, he won three FIFA World Cups: 1958, 1962 and 1970, being the only player ever to do so. Pelé is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 92 games. At club level he is the record goalscorer for Santos F.C. , and led them to the 1962 and 1963 Copa Libertadores (2004) . Since retiring in 1977, Pelé has been a worldwide ambassador for football and has made many acting and commercial ventures. In 2010, he was named the Honorary President of the New York Cosmos . - IMDb Mini Biography By: Tango Papa
• Spouses Marcia Cibele Aoki (July 9, 2016 - December 29, 2022) (his death) Assiria (April 30, 1994 - 2008) (divorced, 2 children) Rosemary Cholbi (February 21, 1966 - 1982) (divorced, 3 children)
• Children Jennifer Edinho Kelly Flavia Christina Sandra (deceased) Celeste Joshua
• Parents Celeste Dondinho Nascimento
• Relatives Jair (Sibling) Jorge Arantes (Aunt or Uncle) Malcolm (Grandchild) Ruby (Grandchild) Enzo (Grandchild) Ella (Grandchild) Otavio (Grandchild) Gabriel (Grandparent) Maria Lucia (Sibling)
• Juggling a soccer ball on his toes, thighs and head, without using his hands.
• The bicycle kick: throwing himself on his back while kicking a soccer ball back over his head.
• Over his entire career, he officially scored 1,284 goals in 1,363 matches. He played one game as a goalkeeper.
• He is the only player to have won three FIFA World Cup titles (1958, 1962, 1970).
• His last professional playing appearance, which took place on October 1, 1977, was played in front of a capacity crowd at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In that match, most unusually, he wore the jerseys of, and played for, both teams. He wore the jersey of his then present team, the New York Cosmos (1975-1977), for the first half of the game, and his original team, Santos (Brazil, 1956-1974) for the second half of the game. At halftime, the Cosmos retired Pelé's number 10. Pelé presented the Cosmos retirement jersey to his father, who was escorted from the stands to the field by Cosmos Captain Werner Roth .
• Played in 92 matches for Brazil and scored a remarkable 77 goals.
• In 1995, Pelé was awarded Brazil's Gold Medal for outstanding services to sport; Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso appointed him to the position of "Extraordinary Minister for Sport." During his time as Minister for Sport, he proposed legislation to reduce corruption in Brazilian football, which when passed, became known as the "Pelé law." Pelé left government in 2001 after being accused of involvement in a corruption scandal, although nothing was proven, and the charges were further denied by UNICEF. In 1997, Pelé was honored by Queen Elizabeth II as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2005, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) bestowed their award for lifetime achievement on Pelé. In 2012, Pelé was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh for "significant contribution to humanitarian and environmental causes, as well as his sporting achievements," his first such honorary degree from a European university.
• 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.
• [on players who bring football into disrepute] They don't love the game, they don't love the team.
• For many people, their memory of Gordon Banks is defined by the save he made against me in 1970. I understand why. The save was one of the best I have ever seen - in real life and in all the thousands of games I have watched since. When you are a footballer, you know straight away how well you have hit the ball. I hit that header exactly as I had hoped. Exactly where I wanted it to go. And I was ready to celebrate. But then this man, Banks, appeared in my sight, like a kind of blue phantom, is how I described him. He came from nowhere and he did something I didn't feel was possible. He pushed my header, somehow, up and over. And I couldn't believe what I saw. Even now when I watch it, I can't believe it. I can't believe how he moved so far, so fast. I scored so many goals in my life, but many people, when they meet me, always ask me about that save. While it was indeed phenomenal, my memory of Gordon is not defined by that - it is defined by his friendship. He was a kind and warm man who gave so much to people. So I am glad he saved my header - because that act was the start of a friendship between us that I will always treasure.
• People talk about the best being Pele or Diego Maradona [ Diego Maradona ], but for me the best was Alfredo Di Stéfano . Maradona was a great player, but he could not kick with his right foot and did not score goals with his head. The only time he scored an important goal with his head, it turned out he had used his hand.

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Pelé was born on October 23, 1940, in the small village of Três Corações, Brazil. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento. At some point he took the nickname Pelé, which has no particular meaning.

Pelé’s father taught him how to play soccer. Pelé dropped out of school so he could spend more time on the game. By age 11, he began to receive professional coaching.

In 1956 Pelé began his professional career. He played for the Santos Football Club. Pelé led Santos to many championships and broke many records. He remained with the team until 1974.

Pelé led Brazil’s national team to three World Cup championships. The first time was in 1958, when he was only 17 years old. He astonished the world by scoring six goals, including two in the championship game. With Pelé’s help, Brazilian teams also won the World Cup in 1962 and 1970.

In 1975 Pelé joined the New York Cosmos. He led the team to a league championship in 1977 and then retired.

After retiring, Pelé composed music, wrote several books about his life, and appeared in a number of films. He also worked for children’s causes. In the 1990s Pelé served as Brazil’s minister of sports for four years. Pelé died on December 29, 2022, in São Paolo, Brazil.

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Remarkable photos from the incredible life and career of world soccer icon Pelé

• Pelé, one of the world's most beloved sporting figures, died Thursday.
• He remains the only athlete to win three World Cups, but his fame transcended soccer.
• Pelé's incredible life saw him marry three times, earn millions of dollars, and meet at least five US presidents.

Pelé was born on October 23, 1940 and grew up in poverty around the favelas of Tres Coracoes in the State of Minas Gerais.

Pelé's father Joao Ramos do Nascimento, nicknamed Dondinho, was a footballer. His mother, Celeste Arantes, is still alive at 100 years old and lives in Santos.

A post shared by Pelé (@pele)

Named after Thomas Edison, Pele's full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento. He had many nicknames over the years, and it took him a while to warm to Pelé.

One of his first nicknames was Dico but it was never going to be the name that lasted a lifetime. When he started school, he was given the name Pelé when he mispronounced the name of Vasco de Gama's goalkeeper Bile as Pelé. The name seemed to stick even though Pelé did not like it at first because he thought it sounded like "baby talk." 

"I was really proud that I was named after Thomas Edison and wanted to be called Edson," Pelé told The Guardian in 2006. Electricity had soared through his hometown around the year he was born, and being named after the incandescent light bulb inventor seemed appropriate to him.

"I thought Pelé sounded horrible. Edson," said Pele, "sounded so much more serious and important. 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. Now I love the name — but back then it wound me up no end."

Sources : Daily Mail , Goal , and The Guardian .

Dondinho's love of soccer passed down to his son, but a young Pelé couldn't afford a football. Instead, he stuffed a sock with newspapers, bound it with string, and kicked that around the streets in which he grew up.

Pelé shined shoes and sold peanuts outside cinemas so that he could raise enough money to buy an actual football. However, he'd often kick barefooted as he couldn't afford boots. His friends, who were in a similar position, formed a team called 'The Shoeless Ones.' Barefoot games in Brazil became known as 'Pelada' — a nod to Pelé.

Sources : Daily Mail , Biography , Goal .

Pelé was scoring goals for Santos against grown adults when he was only 15 years old. He scored an overall total that exceeded 1,200 by the time his career was done, according to FIFA.

Waldemar de Brito, Pelé's youth team coach, is credited with discovering his talent and encouraged Santos to sign him at 15 years old. de Brito's told those who would listen that Pelé would become "the greatest footballer in the world." It proved to be prescient praise as Pelé scored four goals on his league debut for Santos against FC Corinthians on September 7, 1956 — one month before his 16th birthday.

Source : Goal and Reuters .

Pelé became the youngest person to play at the FIFA World Cup when he competed at the 1958 tournament in Sweden at age 17.

Brazil was not considered a major world player at the time, as Pelé told CNN in 2016 that people considered Uruguay and Argentina as the juggernauts from South America.

Pelé led Brazil to the title by scoring in the quarterfinal, netting a hat trick in the semis, before returning two goals in a 5-2 thriller against host nation Sweden in the final.

According to reports, older players had to revive Pelé as he passed out at the final whistle. 

The 1958 World Cup announced Brazil as a global soccer power — and its young star Pelé became an overnight celebrity.

"When we won the World Cup, everybody knew about Brazil," Pele said. "I think this was the most important thing I gave to my country, because we were well-known after that World Cup."

Sources : CNN and Daily Mail .

Despite his World Cup heroics, Pelé was selected to join the army and could not get out of it as he was the most famous teenager in his country.

Pele reportedly pleaded with the president of his soccer club Santos to get him out of his mandatory service by feigning injury. "Are you mad?" he was told. "The whole country knows you are a shining example of health.… If there's any 18-year-old Brazilian who has to do military service, then it's you."

Sources: Players Tribune and CNN .

Despite injury, Pelé played two games at the 1962 World Cup and won his second championship — a successful defense for the 'Selecao'.

Later, Pelé married Rosemeri dos Reis Cholby, in 1966, his first of what would be three marriages.

Pelé and Rosemeri spent their honeymoon in Germany and were treated like a celebrity couple by local media in Europe.

Pele and Rosemeri had three children together, including daughter Kelly Cristina, pictured below.

Pelé and Rosemeri's marriage ended in 1982.

Another of Pelé's children with Rosemeri, a son called Edson Cholbi Nascimento, aka Edinho, was sentenced in 2014 to 33 years in prison for laundering money for drug traffickers.

At the time of Edinho's arrest, Pelé reportedly said there was "not a shred of evidence" to convict him. Pelé visited his son in jail numerous times.

Sources : Getty Images and Daily Mail .

Pelé scored his 1,000th goal in November 19, 1969. Hundreds of fans raced onto the pitch and it took half an hour for the match to resume. November 19 later became known as "Pelé Day" in Santos.

Pelé's goal-scoring exploits are a key part of his legacy as he netted approximately 1,283 goals in total, including 77 for the Brazilian national team. He once scored eight times in one game.

Sources : History and Goal .

One of Pele's best performances came at the 1970 World Cup.

Pelé scored four goals en route to the 1970 World Cup title, and provided a "blind pass" that helped Carlos Alberto score a decisive goal against Italy in the final — one of the best goals in tournament history.

Watch it right here:

"We won the World Cup, and I think in my life in sport," that was the pinnacle, "no doubt," said Pelé.

Sources : CNN .

Pelé played most of his club-level career for Santos, but he joined New York Cosmos in 1975 and helped elevate the game in the States.

Mass hysteria followed Pelé's arrival to join the New York Cosmos in 1975, as fans mobbed the player in Boston, leaving him injured and in need of a stretcher.

Cosmos general manager Clive Toye was a key figure in bringing Pelé to the US. Toye reportedly told the soccer star that if he joined a club in Italy or Spain, all he could do was "win a championship." However, if he came to the States, he could "win a country."

Sure enough, Toye was right. Pelé's two-year spell in the US boosted average attendance figures across the entire North American Soccer League from 7,597 in 1975 to 13,584 in 1977.

Pelé's deal with the Cosmos was for $7 million and made him the best-paid team athlete in the world — a far cry from the $10 per month contract he had with Santos when he was 15 years old. 

Sources : Daily Mail , Biography , and Goal .

Pelé's net worth grew to approximately $100 million, but he made most of his money off the soccer field, signing endorsement deals with Coca-Cola, Subway, and Viagra.

Pelé received a salary of $150,000 per year during his playing days, but his celebrity was so large that he banked far more money through commercial deals. He endorsed Visa, MasterCard, and had his own soccer video game on an early console — the Atari.

Ahead of a 1970 World Cup soccer match, Pelé told the referee that he had to tie his shoelaces. As the cameras zoomed in on Pele prior to the whistle, it was clear he was wearing Puma's boots and the company's sales subsequently soared.

Sources : The U.S. Sun , Daily Mail , Goal .

Further proof of Pelé's transcendence was his appearance in smash-hit movies like "Escape to Victory," in which he starred alongside Sylvester Stallone.

The fictional 1981 film tells the story of Allied prisoners in World War II that play an exhibition soccer match against a German team. Pelé and other soccer icons, like Bobby Moore, starred alongside Stallone and Michael Caine.

Pelé won admiration from all around the world before and after his retirement in 1977. "Pelé was the most complete player I've ever seen," Bobby Moore said of his rival. "He had everything."

Moore said Pelé had: "Two good feet, [was] Magic in the air, quick, powerful, could beat people with skill, and could outrun people. Only five feet and eight inches tall, yet he seemed a giant of an athlete on the pitch. Perfect balance and impossible vision. He was the greatest because he could do anything and everything on a football pitch. I remember Saldanha the coach being asked by a Brazilian journalist who was the best goalkeeper in his squad. He said Pelé. The man could play in any position."

Source : Four Four Two .

Muhammad Ali, who attended Pelé's final match in 1977, was also blown away by soccer's greatest.

—Al Dawson (@AlanDawsonSport) December 29, 2022

Long after Pelé's retirement, Cristiano Ronaldo — a modern-day sports superstar — said: "Pelé is the greatest player in football history, and there will only be one Pelé."

Pelé even inspired the artist Andy Warhol, who said: "Pelé was one of the few who contradicted my theory: Instead of 15 minutes of fame, he will have 15 centuries."

Source : Daily Mail .

In 1993, Pelé broke governmental barriers when he was named Minister of Sports for Brazil. It was a post that had never been occupied by a Black man before, according to Yahoo.

Source : Yahoo .

The next year, he married his second wife, Assiria Lemos Seixas, a psychologist and gospel singer. They had twins — Joshua and Celeste — two years later.

Pelé used his celebrity status for good and advocated for numerous causes. He campaigned for poverty reduction, environmental protection, and raised millions of dollars for charities that helped children, like Great Ormond Street and Harlem Street Soccer. He was UNESCO's champion for sport from 1994.

Sources : Football History , Goal , and UNESCO .

Away from soccer, Pelé had a love for designer clothes and flashy cars.

He loved to drive a volkswagen beetle — a classic in today's automotive market..

Pelé even waved the checkered flag at a 2002 F1 race that Michael Schumacher won. Pelé championed his nation's racers, like the late Ayrton Senna and Felipe Massa.

An avid guitar player, Pelé fancied himself as a musician. "If I wasn't a footballer I think I would compose music and sing," he once said.

Pelé was friends with Tom Jobim, one of the creators of Brazil's wildly popular bossa nova movement. Jobim wrote music with Pelé in mind, calling one track "Radames and Pelé."

Pelé released his own music. One track was called "Listen to the Old Man." He would even sing to his teammates during his playing days.

Source : CNN and Daily Mail .

Pelé was named Athlete of the Century by the IOC in 1999 for his exploits in soccer from the 1950s to the 1970s.

The International Olympic Committee bestowed the honor of him, despite the fact that Pelé never played at the Olympic Games. 

Source: ESPN

Pelé is credited with breaking the taboo surrounding erectile dysfunction because of his ambassador role for anti-impotency awareness, and Pfizer's drug Viagra.

Sources : Daily Mail and Goal .

Pelé has a ranking and potential of 98 (out of 100) on the popular FIFA video game series. In the latest edition of the game, FIFA 23, it is the highest rank Icon card in the entire game.

Pelé held court with at least five US presidents and kicked a football around with Gerald Ford in 1975 …

… talked soccer with Jimmy Carter later that decade …

… was back on the White House lawns in 1982, this time with Ronald Reagan …

… did the same with Bill Clinton in the 1990s …

… and frequently met, and praised, Barack Obama.

Obama "represents an individual's ability to change the world through big ideas," Pelé wrote in an Instagram post . "I admire you deeply, Barack. People like you make the world better."

Source : Instagram .

Pelé met numerous other world leaders and even developed a strong bond with Nelson Mandela.

"To watch him play was to watch the delight of a child, combined with the extraordinary grace of a man in full," Mandela once said of Pelé.

Following Mandela's death in 2013, Pelé tweeted: "He was my hero, my friend, and also a companion to me in our fight for the people and for world peace."

—Pelé (@Pele) December 5, 2013

Sources : Four Four Two and Twitter .

He also met Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 …

… and Russia President Vladimir Putin in 2017.

In 2016, Pelé, at 75, married his third wife, Marcia Aoki, a Japanese-Brazilian importer of medical equipment.

He had seven children in total: five between his first two wives and two outside of his marriages.

Pelé's health declined in his latter years. In 2021 he had a tumor removed from his colon.

Pelé died on December 29, 2022 "due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition," according to a statement from the hospital that was treating him.

Though it is easy to find praise for Pelé, perhaps one of the best comments on his abilities came from Tarcisio Burgnich — the Italian defender tasked with marking Pelé in the 1970 World Cup final.

"I told myself before the game, he's made of skin and bones just like everyone else," Burgnich said at the time. "But I was wrong."

Sources : Reuters and Goal .

• Main content

Pelé Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Pele

• Did Pele smoke?: No
• Did Pele drink alcohol?: No
• He was born to Dondinho and Dona Celeste Arantes. His father was a soccer player himself.

Pele’s childhood photo

• They were very poor and he had to work as a servant in a tea stall in his childhood.

Pele in his childhood

• He learned the first kicks of soccer from his father and played for many amateur teams in his youth. With no money to buy a football, he used to stuff newspapers inside socks and play with that.

Pele in his childhood playing football

• He said in an interview that the indoor tournaments he used to play in his childhood helped him to take his game to another level. The indoor tournaments taught him to make quick decisions; as the pitches were small and the players were more.
• Football star de Brito was impressed by his talents and took him to Santos in 1956, where he started his professional football career. He became a regular starter for the side in 1957.
• He became the top scorer in the league in 1957. His consistent performances earned him a place in Brazil’s squad, and he played his first game for Brazil in July 1957 against Argentina.

Pele after a successful season in Campeonato Paulista

• He scored 6 goals in 4 matches in the 1958 World Cup and eventually won the World Cup.

• In the 1962 World Cup, his campaign was halted by an injury and he remained out of most of the tournament.
• In 1964, he was involved in an affair with a housemaid, Anizia Machado who gave birth to Sandra Machado. Sandra fought for years to be acknowledged by Pele as his daughter, but he refused to submit his DNA. Although the court recognized her as his biological daughter based on the DNA evidence in 1993. Though Pele never acknowledged her as his daughter, even after her death in 2006.

Pele getting married to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi

Pele injured in 1966 World Cup

• In 1968, he had another extramarital affair with journalist Lenita Kurtz and had a daughter, Flávia, with her.
• He scored his 1000th goal against Vasco da Gama from a penalty kick at the Maracana Stadium in 1969.
• The 1970 World Cup was his last World Cup. Brazil won the World Cup, and he was named the ‘Player of the Tournament’.
• He played his last international match against Yugoslavia on July 18, 1971, in Rio de Janeiro.

Pele playing for Santos

• In 1976, he emerged from the semi-retirement by joining New York Cosmos.
• In his last game on October 1, 1977 (an exhibition match between Cosmos and Santos), he played the first half for Cosmos and the second half for Santos. He scored from a direct free kick in the first half which turned out to be his last goal.
• In 1982, Pele and his wife, Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi, divorced. Pele was then involved in a romantic relationship with a TV presenter Xuxa. She was just 17 at that time.
• In 1992, he was appointed as a UN ambassador for ecology and the environment.
• In April 1994, he married psychologist and gospel singer Assíria Lemos Seixas and had twins with her. The couple divorced in 2008.
• In 1995, he was appointed as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
• He was the Minister of Sport of Brazil from 1995 to 1998.

• He was voted “Athlete of the Century” by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1999.

Pele married to Marcia Aoki

• He scored 1281 goals in 1363 games, the most by any player ever to play this game. He scored 92 hat-tricks, and scored four goals on 31 occasions, five on six occasions, and once scored eight in one match.

References/Sources: [ + ]