Pelé

Lore & Background

Pelé was born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil, to Dondinho and Celeste Arantes. He grew up in poverty in Bauru, São Paulo, working in tea shops and playing with a grapefruit or stuffed sock. His nickname 'Pelé' likely emerged from mispronouncing the name of his favorite player, Bilé. He played futsal as a teenager, crediting it for improving his quick thinking. At age 15, he began playing for Santos FC, and at 16 for the Brazil national team. He won three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970), becoming the youngest winner at 17. He was nicknamed 'O Rei' after the 1958 World Cup. At club level, he led Santos to Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup victories in 1962 and 1963. He is Santos' all-time top scorer with 643 goals in 659 games, and held Brazil's national team scoring record (77 goals in 92 games) for over fifty years.

Reader's Guide

Pelé's significance lies in his unprecedented achievements and global influence. He averaged nearly a goal per game throughout his career, striking with either foot, and could serve as both striker and playmaker. His emergence as a Black global star at the 1958 World Cup inspired many. Credited with connecting the phrase 'The Beautiful Game' to football, his skill and spectacular goals made him a worldwide star. He was for a period the highest-paid athlete in the world. After retiring in 1977, he became a football ambassador and undertook acting and commercial ventures. In 2010, he was named honorary president of the New York Cosmos. In Brazil, he was hailed as a national hero for his football accomplishments and outspoken support for policies benefiting the poor. His legacy includes numerous individual and team awards, record-breaking achievements, and lasting impact on the sport.

Did You Know?

• Pelé was named after the American inventor Thomas Edison, but a birth certificate error led many documents to show his name as 'Edison'.
• He scored his first professional goal at age 15 in a 7–1 victory for Santos against Corinthians de Santo André.
• In 1961, the Brazilian government declared Pelé an 'official national treasure' to prevent his transfer out of the country.
• Pelé's most memorable goal, scored in 1959 against Clube Atlético Juventus, has no video footage; he requested a computer animation be made of it.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Edson Arantes do Nascimento (23 October 1940 – 29 December 2022), known as Pelé, was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. He is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time." — Pelé "The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning." — Pelé "I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music." — Pelé "Every kid around the world who plays soccer wants to be Pelé. I have a great responsibility to show them not just how to be like a soccer player, but how to be like a man." — Pelé