Pelé

Pelé is an international soccer legend.

Pelé was born to a very poor family in Tres Coracos, Brazil, on October 23, 1940. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Pelé is just a nickname.

Pelé first learned the game of soccer from his father. As a youngster, Pelé played soccer for a local club. By the time he was 16, he was playing professionally for the Santos Football Club. The club won nine national championships while he played for it.

Pelé also played for Brazil’s national team in four World Cups. At his first World Cup in 1958, when he was just 17, Pelé scored an amazing six goals. In the final game against Sweden, he scored two goals and Brazil won its first-ever World Cup. Pelé also helped Brazil to win World Cups in 1962 and 1970.

Pelé had an outstanding natural ability as a soccer player. He had great speed and balance and was able to shoot powerfully and accurately with either foot and with his head. Many European teams offered huge amounts of money to get Pelé to play for their countries, but Brazil declared him an official national treasure so he would stay in the country.

In 1974, Pelé retired from the Santos club, but the next year, he came out of retirement and signed a reported $7-million, three- year contract to play for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Pelé said he did not do this for the money. He said that he wanted to make soccer a truly popular sport in the United States. Millions of North Americans gained a new respect for the game after watching Pelé play.

In 1980, Pelé was named athlete of the century. In 1993, he was inducted into Brazil’s Soccer Hall of Fame. In 2000, he was second only to boxer Muhammad Ali as Sportsman of the Century.

Pelé still holds numerous national and international soccer records. Many of them will likely never be broken. A soccer stadium in Mexico has been named after him.

Pelé has been Brazil’s ambassador of sports, as well as its goodwill ambassador. In 1978, he received the International Peace Award for his efforts. He has also worked for children through UNICEF.

In addition to his sports and humanitarian work, Pelé has written best-selling books on his life, starred in movies, and composed music.