Few names are as synonymous with soccer as Pelé.
The Brazilian icon is not only one of the greatest players to ever grace the sport, but he also played a key role in putting Brazilian soccer on the global map and shaping the modern “beautiful game” with his trademark skill and style.
A sporting legend in every sense, here are 25 facts you need to know about the former Santos superstar—from his record-breaking career achievements to insights into his personal life.
Early Life Facts About Pelé
1. Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on Oct. 23, 1940, in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
2. He was the son of Dondinho (João Ramos do Nascimento), a professional soccer player who played for Fluminense.
3. His first name, Edson, was inspired by the American inventor Thomas Edison.
4. Pelé joined Santos FC at just 15 years old and made an immediate impact, scoring four goals in his league debut against FC Corinthians on Sep. 7, 1956.
5. Brazilian forward Waldemar de Brito is credited with discovering Pelé. He brought the young talent to Santos and famously predicted that he would become “the greatest football player in the world.”
Career Facts About Pelé
6. In 1958, at just 17 years old, Pelé became the youngest player ever to win a World Cup, scoring twice in the final as Brazil defeated hosts Sweden.
7. He remains the only soccer player in history to claim three World Cup titles, adding victories with Brazil in 1962 and 1970.
8. Over the course of his career, Pelé scored an astounding 1,279 goals according to his personal count, though official records credit him with 762—still enough to place him among the highest goal scorers in the history of the sport.
9. Pelé spent his club career with just two teams: Santos in Brazil and the New York Cosmos in the United States, where he became one of the first globally recognized stars to play soccer in America.
10. He retired from professional soccer in 1974.
Facts About Pelé’s Personal Life
11. Pelé was married three times and had seven children.
12. Between 1995 and 1998, he served as Brazil’s Minister of Sport, using his influence to promote athletics across the country.
13. In 1997, he was bestowed with an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.
14. Off the pitch, Pelé shared a famously complicated relationship with fellow soccer legend Diego Maradona. Their “frenemy” dynamic combined mutual respect with public disagreements over who was the greatest player of all time. Pelé once remarked that Maradona was “not a good example for the youth.”
15. Pelé passed away on Dec. 29, 2022, at the age of 82, due to multiple organ failure, a complication stemming from colon cancer.
Fun Facts About Pelé
16. Pelé composed the soundtrack for his 1977 biopic Pelé and created other musical works over the years.
17. He also appeared in numerous films, most notably 1981’s Escape to Victory, starring alongside Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine.
18. In 1967, Nigeria temporarily paused its civil war with a 48-hour ceasefire to allow Federal and Rebel soldiers to watch him play during a visit to the country.
19. In his homeland, Pelé earned the affectionate nickname “Pérola Negra,” meaning the “Black Pearl.”
20. Every year on Nov. 19, Santos celebrates Pelé Day to mark the anniversary of his (unofficial) 1,000th career goal.
Records and Achievements
21. Pelé never won the Ballon d’Or during his playing career because the award was originally limited to European players. However, in 2016, France Football retroactively revised its honors in an internationalized edition called Le nouveau palmarès, recognizing Pelé with five Ballon d’Or titles.
22. He remained Brazil’s all-time leading scorer for more than four decades until Neymar matched his tally of 77 goals at the 2022 World Cup.
23. Remarkably, Brazil never lost a match when Pelé shared the field with the legendary Garrincha.
24. In 1999, the International Olympic Committee honored Pelé as the “Athlete of the Century.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Pele Facts: Amazing Things You Didn’t Know About the Soccer Icon.
