Biography
Edson Arantes do Nascimento (23 October 1940 – 29 December 2022), widely known as Pelé, was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. Considered one of the greatest footballers in history and hailed as "the greatest" by FIFA, he was one of the most successful and beloved sports icons of the 20th century. In 1999, the International Olympic Committee named him Athlete of the Century, and he appeared on Time's list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pelé was chosen as World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and shared the FIFA Player of the Century award. His career total of 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches, including friendlies, is recognized as a Guinness World Record.
Pelé started playing for Santos at age 15 and joined the Brazil national team at 16. Throughout his international career, he won three FIFA World Cups—in 1958, 1962, and 1970—the only player to achieve this feat. He remains Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 77 goals in 92 appearances. At club level, he is Santos' top scorer with 643 goals in 659 matches. During Santos' golden era, he guided the team to victories in the 1962 and 1963 Copa Libertadores and the 1962 and 1963 Intercontinental Cup. Pelé is credited with popularizing the term "The Beautiful Game" in football. His dynamic style and flair for spectacular goals earned him worldwide fame, and his teams toured globally to capitalize on his popularity. During his career, he was among the highest-paid athletes worldwide. After retiring in 1977, Pelé became a global ambassador for football and pursued various acting and commercial projects. In 2010, he was appointed Honorary President of the New York Cosmos.
Throughout his career, Pelé maintained an average of nearly one goal per game, demonstrating skill with both feet and keen anticipation of opponents' moves. Primarily a striker, he also excelled in a deeper playmaking role, using vision and passing to provide assists and employing his dribbling ability to bypass defenders. In Brazil, he is celebrated as a national hero not only for his football achievements but also for his vocal advocacy of social policies benefiting the underprivileged. His breakthrough at the 1958 World Cup, where he became the first black global sports star, inspired many. Over his career and retirement, Pelé earned numerous individual and team honors recognizing his on-field performance, record-breaking milestones, and lasting impact on the sport.
From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
