# Pelé Pelé is widely recognized as the greatest footballer of all time, the only player to win three FIFA World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970). Playing primarily for Santos FC and the New York Cosmos, he scored over 1,200 goals in his career and was declared a national treasure by the Brazilian government. His grace, athleticism, and extraordinary skill transformed football into the world's most popular sport. ## Quick Facts - **Born:** October 23, 1940 - **Birthplace:** Três Corações, Brazil - **Nationality:** Brazilian - **Occupation:** Soccer / Forward - **Category:** Athletes - **Net Worth:** $8M (est. 2022) - **Also Known As:** O Rei, The King of Football, Pelé ## Early years Pelé's birthplace, Três Corações in Minas Gerais, with his commemorative statue in the city's plaza pictured. Pelé also has a street named after him in the city – Rua Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, the son of Fluminense footballer Dondinho (born João Ramos do Nascimento) and Celeste Arantes (1922–2024). He was the elder of two siblings, with brother Zoca also playing for Santos, albeit not as successfully. He was named after the American inventor Thomas Edison. His parents decided to remove the "i" and call him "Edson", but there was a typo on his birth certificate, leading many documents to show his name as "Edison", not "Edson", as he was called. He was originally nicknamed "Dico" by his family. He received the nickname "Pelé" during his school days, it is claimed, after mispronouncing the name of his favourite player, Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Bilé. In his autobiography released in 2006, Pelé stated he had no idea what the name means, nor did his old friends, and the word has no meaning in Portuguese. He would later learn it means "miracle" (פֶּלֶא) in Hebrew. Pelé grew up in poverty in Bauru in the state of São Paulo. He earned extra money by working in tea shops as a servant. Taught to play by his father, he could not afford a proper football and usually played with either a sock stuffed with newspaper and tied with string or a grapefruit. He played for several amateur teams in his youth, including Sete de Setembro, Canto do Rio, São Paulinho, and Ameriquinha. Pelé led Bauru Atlético Clube juniors (coached by Waldemar de Brito) to two São Paulo state youth championships. In his mid-teens, he played for an indoor football team called Radium. Indoor football had just become popular in Bauru when Pelé began playing it. He was part of the first futsal (indoor football) competition in the region. Pelé and his team won the first championship and several others. According to Pelé, futsal (indoor football) presented difficult challenges: he said it was a lot quicker than football on the grass, and that players were required to think faster because everyone is close to each other in the pitch. Pelé credits futsal for helping him think better on the spot. In addition, futsal allowed him to play with adults when he was about 14 years old. In one of the tournaments he participated in, he was initially considered too young to play, but eventually went on to end up top scorer with 14 or 15 goals. "That gave me a lot of confidence", Pelé said, "I knew then not to be afraid of whatever might come". Pelé named Brazilian playmaker Zizinho among his inspirations growing up. ## Club career Santos Main article: Os Santásticos 1956–1962: early years with Santos and declared a national treasure Pelé in 1962, by then rated the best player in the world In 1956, de Brito took Pelé to Santos, an industrial and port city located near São Paulo, to try out for professional club Santos FC, telling the club's directors that the 15-year-old would be "the greatest football player in the world". Pelé impressed Santos coach Lula during his trial at the Estádio Vila Belmiro, and he signed a professional contract with the club in June 1956. Pelé was highly promoted in the local media as a future superstar. He made his senior team debut on 7 September 1956 at the age of 15 against Corinthians de Santo André and had an impressive performance in a 7–1 victory, scoring the first goal in his prolific career during the match. When the 1957 season started, Pelé was given a starting place in the first team and, at the age of 16, became the top scorer in the league. Ten months after signing professionally, the teenager was called up to the Brazil national team. After the 1958 and the 1962 World Cup, wealthy European clubs, such as Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United, tried to sign him in vain. In 1958, Inter Milan even managed to get him a regular contract, but Angelo Moratti was forced to tear the contract up at the request of Santos's chairman following a revolt by Santos's Brazilian fans. Valencia CF also arranged an agreement that would have brought Pelé to the club after the 1958 World Cup, however after his performances at the tournament, Santos declined to let the player leave. In 1961 the government of Brazil under President Jânio Quadros declared Pelé an "official national treasure" to prevent him from being transferred out of the country. Pelé won his first major title with Santos in 1958 as the team won the Campeonato Paulista; he would finish the tournament as the top scorer, with 58 goals, a record that still stands today. A year later, he would help the team earn their first victory in the Torneio Rio-São Paulo with a 3–0 over Vasco da Gama. However, Santos was unable to retain the Paulista title. In 1960, Pelé scored 33 goals to help his team regain the Campeonato Paulista trophy but lost out on the Rio-São Paulo tournament after finishing in 8th place. In the 1960 season, Pelé scored 47 goals and helped Santos regain the Campeonato Paulista. The club went on to win the Taça Brasil that same year, beating Bahia in the finals; Pelé finished as the top scorer of the tournament with nine goals. The victory allowed Santos to participate in the Copa Libertadores, the most prestigious club tournament in the Western hemisphere. 1962–1965: Copa Libertadores success [https://web.archive.org/web/20190627023833/https://www.fifa.com/news/what-they-said-about-pele-1321917 \"What they said about Pele\"]. FIFA. 16 Jul 2019."}},"i":0}}]}' id="mwATY">.mw-parser-output .quotebox{background-color:#F9F9F9;border:1px solid #aaa;box-sizing:border-box ## International career Pelé's first international match was a 2–1 defeat against Argentina on 7 July 1957 at the Maracanã. In that match, he scored his first goal for Brazil aged 16 years and eight months, and he remains the youngest goalscorer for his country. 1958 World Cup Pelé (number 10) dribbles past three Swedish players at the 1958 World Cup. Pelé arrived in Sweden sidelined by a knee injury but on his return from the treatment room, his colleagues stood together and insisted upon his selection. His first match was against the USSR in the third match of the first round of the 1958 FIFA World Cup, where he gave the assist to Vavá's second goal. He was at the time the youngest player ever to participate in the World Cup. He scored his first World Cup goal against Wales in the quarter-finals, the only goal of the match, to help Brazil advance to the semi-finals while becoming the youngest ever World Cup goalscorer at 17 years and 239 days. Against France in the semi-final, Brazil was leading 2–1 at halftime, and then Pelé scored a hat-trick, becoming the youngest player in World Cup history to do so. 17-year-old Pelé cries on the shoulder of goalkeeper Gilmar after Brazil won the 1958 World Cup final. On 29 June 1958, Pelé became the youngest player to play in a World Cup final match at 17 years and 249 days. He scored two goals in that final as Brazil beat Sweden 5–2 in Stockholm, the capital. Pelé hit the post and then Vavá scored two goals to give Brazil the lead. Pelé's first goal, where he flicked the ball over a defender before volleying into the corner of the net, was selected as one of the best goals in the history of the World Cup. Following Pelé's second goal, Swedish player Sigvard Parling would later comment, "When Pelé scored the fifth goal in that Final, I have to be honest and say I felt like applauding". When the match ended, Pelé passed out on the field, and was revived by Garrincha. He then recovered, and was compelled by the victory to weep as he was being congratulated by his teammates. He finished the tournament with six goals in four matches played, tied for second place, behind record-breaker Just Fontaine, and was named best young player of the tournament. His impact was arguably greater off the field, with Barney Ronay writing, "With nothing but talent to guide him, the boy from Minas Gerais became the first black global sporting superstar, and a source of genuine uplift and inspiration." It was in the 1958 World Cup that Pelé began wearing a jersey with the number 10, which was the result of disorganization: the leaders of the Brazilian Federation did not allocate the shirt numbers of players and it was up to FIFA to choose the number 10 shirt for Pelé, who was a substitute on the occasion. The press proclaimed Pelé the greatest revelation of the 1958 World Cup, and he was also retroactively given the Silver Ball as the second best player of the tournament, behind Didi. 1959 South American Championship Pelé also played in the South Americ ## Style of play Pelé dribbling past a defender while playing for Brazil, May 1960 Pelé was known for connecting the phrase "The Beautiful Game" with football. A prolific goalscorer, he was known for his ability to anticipate his opponents' movements and finish off chances with an accurate and powerful shot with either foot. Pelé was also a hard-working and complete player with exceptional vision and intelligence, who was recognised for his precise passing and the ability to provide teammates with assists. In his early career, he played in a variety of attacking positions. Although he often operated inside the penalty area as a striker or centre forward, his wide range of skills allowed him to play as an inside forward or a second striker. In his later career, he took on a playmaking role behind the strikers, often functioning as an attacking midfielder. Pelé's unique playing style combined speed, creativity, and technical skill with physical power, stamina, and athleticism. His technique, flair, agility, and dribbling skills allowed him to beat opponents with the ball, and frequently saw him use sudden changes of direction and elaborate feints to get past players, such as his trademark move, the drible da vaca. Another one of his signature moves was the paradinha, or little stop. Pelé excelled in the air, due to his heading accuracy, timing, and elevation. Renowned for his bending shots, he was also an accurate free-kick taker (ranked second of all time with 70) and penalty taker, although he often refrained from taking penalties, stating that he believed it to be a cowardly way to score. Pelé was also known to be a fair and highly influential player, who stood out for his charismatic leadership and sportsmanship on the pitch. His warm embrace of Bobby Moore following the Brazil vs England game at the 1970 World Cup is viewed as the embodiment of sportsmanship, with The New York Times stating the image "captured the respect that two great players had for each other. As they exchanged jerseys, touches, and looks, the sportsmanship between them was all in the image. No gloating and no fist-pumping from Pelé. No despair, no defeatism from Bobby Moore." Pelé also earned a reputation for being a "big game player" due to his tendency to score crucial goals in important matches. ## Legacy Pelé being held aloft after winning the 1970 World Cup final in Mexico City. He is the only player to win three World Cups. Named the "greatest" by FIFA in 2012 and 2024, Pelé is one of the most lauded players in the history of football and has been frequently ranked as the greatest and most important player ever. Following his emergence at the 1958 World Cup he was nicknamed O Rei ("The King"). Among his contemporaries, Dutch star Johan Cruyff stated, "Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic." Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning captain Carlos Alberto Torres opined: "His great secret was improvisation. Those things he did were in one moment. He had an extraordinary perception of the game." According to Tostão, his strike partner at the 1970 World Cup: "Pelé was the greatest – he was simply flawless. And off the pitch he is always smiling and upbeat. You never see him bad-tempered. He loves being Pelé." His Brazilian teammate Clodoaldo commented on the adulation he witnessed: "In some countries they wanted to touch him, in some they wanted to kiss him. In others they even kissed the ground he walked on. I thought it was beautiful, just beautiful." According to Franz Beckenbauer, West Germany's 1974 World Cup-winning captain: "Pelé is the greatest player of all time. He reigned supreme for 20 years. There's no one to compare with him." "},"width":{"wt":"27%"},"align":{"wt":"left"},"qalign":{"wt":"center"},"bgcolor":{"wt":"#ACE1AF"}},"i":0}}]}' id="mwBME"/> "I used to go out and people said Pelé! Pelé! Pelé! Pelé! all over the world, but no one remembers Edson. Edson is the person who has the feelings, who has the family, who works hard, and Pelé is the idol. Pelé doesn't die. Pelé will never die. Pelé is going to go on for ever. But Edson is a normal person who is going to die one day, and the people forget that." — Pelé on his lasting legacy. Former Real Madrid and Hungary star Ferenc Puskás stated: "The greatest player in history was Di Stéfano. I refuse to classify Pelé as a player. He was above that." Just Fontaine, French striker and the leading scorer at the 1958 World Cup said "When I saw Pelé play, it made me feel I should hang up my boots." England's 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore commented: "Pelé was the most complete player I've ever seen, he had everything. Two good feet. Magic in the air. Quick. Powerful. Could beat people with skill. 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 João 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". Former Manchester United striker and member of England's 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning team Sir Bobby Charlton stated, "I sometimes feel as though football was invented for t ## Timeline ### 1922 — Pelé also has a street named after him in the city – Rua Edson Arantes do... Pelé also has a street named after him in the city – Rua Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, the son of Fluminense footballer Dondinho (born João Ramos do Nascimento) and Celeste Arantes (1922–2024) ### 1940 — Born in Três Corações Edson Arantes do Nascimento born in Três Corações, Brazil. ### 1956 — Santos FC Debut Makes his professional debut for Santos FC at age 15, scoring in his first match. ### 1956 — Santos Main article: Os Santásticos 1956–1962: early years with Santos and... Santos Main article: Os Santásticos 1956–1962: early years with Santos and declared a national treasure Pelé in 1962, by then rated the best player in the world In 1956, de Brito took Pelé to Santos, an industrial and port city located near São Paulo, to try out for professional club Santos FC, tell ### 1957 — When the 1957 season started, Pelé was given a starting place in the first team... When the 1957 season started, Pelé was given a starting place in the first team and, at the age of 16, became the top scorer in the league ### 1958 — First World Cup Winner At age 17, leads Brazil to World Cup victory in Sweden, scoring two in the final. ### 1958 — He was above that." Just Fontaine, French striker and the leading scorer at the... He was above that." Just Fontaine, French striker and the leading scorer at the 1958 World Cup said "When I saw Pelé play, it made me feel I should hang up my boots." England's 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore commented: "Pelé was the most complete player I've ever seen, he had everyt ### 1959 — 1959 South American Championship Pelé also played in the South Americ 1959 South American Championship Pelé also played in the South Americ ### 1960 — In 1960, Pelé scored 33 goals to help his team regain the Campeonato Paulista... In 1960, Pelé scored 33 goals to help his team regain the Campeonato Paulista trophy but lost out on the Rio-São Paulo tournament after finishing in 8th place ### 1961 — In 1961 the government of Brazil under President Jânio Quadros declared Pelé an... In 1961 the government of Brazil under President Jânio Quadros declared Pelé an "official national treasure" to prevent him from being transferred out of the country ### 1962 — Second World Cup Wins second World Cup with Brazil in Chile. ### 1962 — 1962–1965: Copa Libertadores success... 1962–1965: Copa Libertadores success [https://web.archive.org/web/20190627023833/https://www.fifa.com/news/what-they-said-about-pele-1321917 \"What they said about Pele\"] ### 1969 — 1,000th Career Goal Scores his 1,000th career goal from a penalty at the Maracanã. ### 1970 — Third World Cup Winner Leads Brazil to a dominant third World Cup victory in Mexico. ### 1975 — Joins New York Cosmos Comes out of retirement to join the Cosmos, helping popularize soccer in the United States. ### 1977 — Final Match Plays his final professional match before 77,000 fans at Giants Stadium. ### 2022 — Death Pelé dies at age 82 in São Paulo after a battle with colon cancer. --- Source: https://peoplebio.info/p/pele