Edson Arantes do Nascimento, widely known as Pelé, was a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a forward. Born on October 23, 1940, and passed away on December 29, 2022, Pelé was regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and labelled "the greatest" by FIFA.
Throughout his illustrious career, Pelé achieved numerous accolades and records. In 1999, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century.
Pelé's impressive goal-scoring record includes a total of 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which is recognized as a Guinness World Record. He began playing for Santos at the age of 15 and the Brazil national team at 16. During his international career, he won three FIFA World Cups: 1958, 1962, and 1970, the only player to do so.
Pelé is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 92 games and Santos' all-time top goalscorer with 643 goals from 659 games. At club level, he led Santos to the 1962 and 1963 Copa Libertadores, and to the 1962 and 1963 Intercontinental Cup.
Credited with connecting the phrase "The Beautiful Game" with football, Pelé's "electrifying play and penchant for spectacular goals" made him a star around the world. During his playing days, Pelé was for a period the best-paid athlete in the world.
Since retiring in 1977, Pelé has been a worldwide ambassador for football and has made many acting and commercial ventures. In 2010, he was named the Honorary President of the New York Cosmos.
Throughout his career, Pelé was adept at striking the ball with either foot in addition to anticipating his opponents' movements on the field. He could also drop deep and take on a playmaking role, providing assists with his vision and passing ability, and he would also use his dribbling skills to go past opponents.
In Brazil, Pelé is hailed as a national hero for his accomplishments in football and for his outspoken support of policies that improve the social conditions of the poor. His emergence at the 1958 World Cup where he became the first black global sporting star was a source of inspiration.
