Early Life
The first child of Joo Ramos and Dona Celeste, Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on October 23, 1940 in Três Coraçes, brazil, Pelé, who goes by the moniker Dico, was born in the city of Bauru and received his name from Thomas Edison.
He grew raised in poverty, while Joo Ramos, better known as “Dondinho, struggled to make a life as a soccer player, nevertheless, by kicking a rolled-up sock filled with rags around the streets of Bauru, he discovered a basic ability for soccer, the origin of the moniker pelé is unknown, but he remembered hating it when his friends initially nicknamed him that, teenage Pelé joined a youth team managed by former Brazilian national soccer team player Waldemar de Brito, when Pelé was 15 years old, De Brito persuaded his family to allow him to leave home and try out for the Santos professional soccer club.
Soccer’s National Treasure
After joining Santos, Pelé immediately began working out with the team’s regulars, before he was 16, he scored his first professional goal, and in his first full season, he led the league in goals, he was then drafted to play for the Brazilian national team, pele made his public debut during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, the 17-year-old scored three goals in a 5-2 semifinal victory against france before adding two more in a 5-2 victory over the host nation, he displayed exceptional speed, athleticism, and field vision throughout the tournament, young superstar received substantial offers to play for European clubs, and Brazilian President Jânio Quadros ultimately had Pelé labeled a national treasure, making it legally challenging for him to play in another nation, the Santos club’s management nevertheless scheduled lucrative exhibition games with clubs from around the world to make sure its star draw was well compensated.
More World Cup Titles
The 1962 World Cup in Chile saw Pelé miss the semifinals after aggravating a groin ailment, brazil went on to win the tournament for the second time in a row, brazil was eliminated from the World Cup after one round four years later in England due to a series of vicious attacks by opposing defenders that once more sent him to the sidelines with leg injuries, the reputation of Pelé grew despite the setback on the international stage, in order to watch Pelé play in an exhibition game in Lagos, the two groups in the Nigerian Civil War purportedly agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire in the late 1960s, brazil and Pelé made a spectacular comeback to success at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, leading a strong team, Pelé scored four goals throughout the competition, including one in the championship game that helped Brazil defeat Italy 4-1, when Pelé declared his retirement from soccer in 1974, the NASL was not yet a popular league, however, Pelé was persuaded to return the following year to play for the New York Cosmos, in an exhibition game between New York and Santos in October 1977, he played his final match while representing both teams, he finished his career with 1,281 goals throughout 1,363 appearances.
Later Years, Death and Legacy
At the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, Pele led Brazil and a talented team to victory, pele scored four goals throughout the tournament, including one in the championship game that helped Brazil defeat Italy 4-1, when Pelé declared his retirement from soccer in 1974, the NASL was not yet a popular league, however, Pelé was persuaded to return the following year to play for the New York Cosmos, in an exhibition game between New York and Santos in October 1977, he played his final match while representing both teams, he finished his career with 1,281 goals throughout 1,363 appearances.
At the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, Brazil and Pele led a talented team to victory, pele scored four goals throughout the tournament, including one in the championship game that helped Brazil defeat Italy 4-1, the NASL was not yet a well-known league in 1974, when Pelé announced his retirement from soccer, pelé was convinced to come back the next season to play for the New York Cosmos, though, in an exhibition match between New York and Santos in October 1977, he participated for both clubs in his final game, throughout 1,363 appearances, he scored 1,281 goals to round off his career.
Brazil was eliminated in the first round of the 1966 World Cup due to rough play and injuries, and Pelé thought about quitting international competition, when he came back in 1970 for one more World Cup competition, he linked up with rising stars Jairzinho and Rivelino to win Brazil’s third title and secure the Jules Rimet Trophy for good, with 12 goals in 14 games, Pelé had a World Cup career high.
Pelé became famous all around the world thanks to his exciting play and propensity for spectacular goals, in order to fully capitalize on his fame, his squad Santos went on tour abroad, when he and his squad visited Nigeria in 1967, the civil war there was put on hold for 48 hours so that everyone could witness the great player, in 1975, Pelé signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the New York cosmos of the North American Soccer League in order to promote the game in the United States after having announced his retirement in 1974, after helping the Cosmos win the league championship in 1977, he decided to retire.
In 1978, Pelé received the International Peace Award, he was named Athlete of the Century by the French sports magazine L’Equipe in 1980, and the International Olympic Committee bestowed the same honor upon him in 1999, in Santos, Brazil, the Pelé Museum debuted in 2014, in addition to his achievements in sports, he also wrote and starred in a number of best-selling autobiographies and documentary and semi-documentary films, additionally, he created a variety of musical compositions, notably the soundtrack for the movie Pelé (1977).