Pelé

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, universally known as Pelé, was born on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil, and died on 29 December 2022. A forward, 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 exhibition games, holds a Guinness World Record. In 1999, the International Olympic Committee named him Athlete of the Century, and Time magazine listed him among the 100 most important people of the 1900s.

The following year, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics 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 remains the only footballer to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970) and, at 17, the youngest ever to do so. After the 1958 tournament, he earned the nickname O Rei (the King).

With 77 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil, he was the country's all-time top scorer for more than five decades. At Santos, he is the club's leading scorer with 643 goals in 659 games, leading them 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 star, and his teams toured internationally to capitalize on his fame.

For a period, 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 game and could strike with either foot.

Though primarily a striker, he also acted as a playmaker, using his vision and passing to create assists. In Brazil, he was hailed as a national hero for his football achievements and his vocal support for policies aiding the poor. His emergence as a Black global sports star at the 1958 World Cup was a source of inspiration. He received numerous individual and team awards for his on-field performance, records, and lasting legacy.

Pelé was born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, to Dondinho, a Fluminense footballer, and Celeste Arantes. He had a younger brother, Zoca, who also played for Santos. Named after Thomas Edison, his parents intended to call him "Edson," but a birth certificate error often listed him as "Edison." His family called him "Edson" and gave him the nickname "Dico."

Pelé believed his famous nickname originated when he mispronounced the name of his favorite player, Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Bilé. In his 2006 autobiography, he stated he never knew what the name meant, nor did his school friends. He grew up poor in Bauru, São Paulo, working in tea shops. His father taught him football, but lacking a proper ball, he often played with a grapefruit 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 a team called Radium, winning the region's first futsal competition and several others. Pelé noted that futsal's faster pace forced quicker thinking and allowed him to play with adults at age 14. In one tournament, initially deemed too young, he became top scorer with 14 or 15 goals, which gave him great confidence.

He cited Brazilian playmaker Zizinho as an inspiration. In 1956, Waldemar de Brito brought 15-year-old Pelé to Santos FC for a trial, telling directors he would become "the greatest football player in the world." Pelé impressed coach Lula at Estádio Vila Belmiro and signed a professional contract in June 1956. Local media promoted him as a future superstar.

He made his senior debut on 7 September 1956 against Corinthians de Santo André, scoring the first goal of his career in a 7–1 win. By the 1957 season, he had a starting spot and, at 16, became the top scorer in the Campeonato Paulista. In 1958, he helped the team further, and by October 1962, he was ranked as the world's best footballer.