Pelé

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, universally known as Pelé, was a Brazilian forward born on 23 October 1940 who died on 29 December 2022. He is considered one of football’s all-time greats and a defining sports figure of the 20th century. His career total of 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches, including friendlies, holds a Guinness World Record. In 1999, the International Olympic Committee named him Athlete of the Century, and *Time* magazine placed him on its list of the 100 most influential people of the 1900s. The following year, the IFFHS voted him World Player of the Century, and he shared the FIFA Player of the Century award with Diego Maradona.

Pelé joined Brazilian club Santos at age 15 and debuted for the national team at 16. He is the only footballer to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970) and remains the youngest World Cup winner, aged 17. After the 1958 tournament, he earned the nickname *O Rei* (the King). He scored 77 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil, holding the national team’s scoring record for over fifty years. For Santos, he is the all-time top scorer with 643 goals in 659 games, leading the club to Copa Libertadores titles in 1962 and 1963 and Intercontinental Cup victories in those same years.

Pelé is credited with linking the phrase “The Beautiful Game” to football. His skill and spectacular goals made him a global icon, and his teams toured internationally to capitalise on his fame. For a time, he was the world’s highest-paid athlete. After retiring in 1977, he served as a worldwide football ambassador and pursued acting and business ventures. In 2010, he became honorary president of the New York Cosmos.

Throughout his career, Pelé averaged nearly a goal per match and could strike effectively with either foot. Though primarily a striker, he also operated as a playmaker, using his vision and passing to create chances. In Brazil, he was celebrated as a national hero for his football achievements and his vocal support for anti-poverty policies. His emergence as a Black global sports star at the 1958 World Cup inspired many. He received numerous individual and team honours during and after his playing days.

Pelé was born on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, to Dondinho, a Fluminense footballer, and Celeste Arantes. His younger brother Zoca also played for Santos. He was named after Thomas Edison, but a birth certificate error often listed him as “Edison.” His family called him “Edson” or “Dico.” He believed his nickname “Pelé” came from mispronouncing the name of his favourite player, Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Bilé. In his 2006 autobiography, he said neither he nor his school friends knew what it meant.

He grew up poor in Bauru, São Paulo, working in tea shops. His father taught him football, but lacking a proper ball, he played with grapefruits or a sock stuffed with newspaper. He played for amateur teams like Sete de Setembro, Canto do Rio, São Paulinho, and Ameriquinha, and led Bauru Atlético Clube juniors to two state youth championships. As a teen, he played futsal for Radium, winning the region’s first futsal competition. He credited futsal’s faster pace for sharpening his quick thinking and confidence, especially after becoming top scorer in a tournament where he was initially deemed too young. He cited Brazilian playmaker Zizinho as an inspiration.

In 1956, coach Waldemar de Brito brought 15-year-old Pelé to Santos FC, telling directors he would become the world’s greatest player. After impressing in a trial, Pelé signed a professional contract in June 1956. He debuted for the senior team on 7 September 1956, aged 15, scoring in a 7–1 win over Corinthians de Santo André. By the 1957 season, he was a starter and became the top scorer in the Campeonato Paulista at 16. In 1958, he helped Santos to further success.