Whenever football fanatics debate the greatest players of all time, the Brazilian legend Pelé’s name is always involved.
Considered to be one of the most prolific goal scorers to ever grace the beautiful game, his name is synonymous with the sport.
But what is little known about the three time World Cup Winner is that he once received an honorary degree from Edinburgh University.
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And during the ceremony, it is understood that he was also presented with a University football strip.
Pelé received his first honorary degree from a European University at an event at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London on August 9 2012.
The occasion took place in order to celebrate the University’s long and illustrious history of sporting achievement as the Olympics came to the UK that summer.
Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea, the University of Edinburgh Principal at the time said: “I am delighted to make this award to one of the foremost sporting figures of our age, who is the epitome of sporting brilliance and élan. He has also devoted time and energy to countless charitable causes throughout the world, and we honour him for his outstanding contribution.”
Also in attendance alongside the two time Copa Libertadores winner was the Olympic gold medallist and University alumnus Katherine Grainger.
In 2012, Edinburgh University wrote that: “The degree celebrates Pelé’s significant contribution to humanitarian and environmental causes, as well as his sporting achievements - including winning the World Cup three times with Brazil, as well as being named as FIFA’s joint player of the century and the International Olympic Committee’s athlete of the century.
“Since his retirement from football, Pelé has been Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport and was appointed a United Nations ambassador for ecology and the environment in 1992.”
The award of the degree to Pelé came ahead of the opening of a University of Edinburgh Office of the Americas.
The office is based in São Paulo, Brazil, and was understood to have been created to simplify communication and collaboration between the University and regional partners in education, business and government in the region.
The University says that ties with Brazil range from geosciences partnerships to social science data collaborations and health education links.
