Pelé

Who is Pelé?

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known worldwide as Pelé, was born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, and grew up in poverty in Bauru, São Paulo. He joined Santos FC as a teenager and made his professional debut at fifteen, quickly establishing himself as an extraordinary attacking talent. With the Brazil national team he won three FIFA World Cups, in 1958, 1962 and 1970, a feat no other player has matched. At club level he spent most of his career with Santos, winning numerous state, national and international titles, before finishing his playing days with the New York Cosmos in the mid-1970s, helping popularize the sport in the United States. Renowned for his dribbling, vision, finishing and sportsmanship, he scored over a thousand career goals by his own and Santos's count. After retiring he served as Brazil's Extraordinary Minister for Sport and as a global ambassador. He is frequently cited as the greatest footballer of all time.

Sources: FIFA official records and player biography · Pelé with Robert L. Fish, 'My Life and the Beautiful Game' (1977) · Santos FC and CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) records