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PLACE IN FOOTBALL HISTORY

FIFA BEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME
- THE BEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME WORLD SCOOP
- IFFHS BEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME
- The only three-time world champion as an active player
- Top scorer in Brazil history: 77 goals

PELE'S STATISTICS IN "NEW YORK COSMOS"

PELE'S STATISTICS IN SANTOS

PL - Paulista League Championship
RSP - Rio Sao Paulo Tournament
TP - Taco de Prato
BW - Brazilian Championship
ZCh - Classification to the Brazilian Championship
TB - Taka Brazil
KL - Copa Libertadores
MK - Intercontinental Cups
Of - Official Tournaments
Sun - Total

PELE'S STATISTICS IN THE BRAZIL TEAM

VICTORIES

BEST SCOREMAN

VICTORIES AND PRIZES

Brazil national team
- World Champion (3): 1958, 1962, 1970
- Rock Cup (2): 1957, 1963

Santos, Santos, Brazil
- Brazilian Champion (6):
- Champion of the Brazilian Cup (5): 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
- Winner of the Robertan Cup: 1968
- Paulista League Champion (10): 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1973
- Winner of the Rio Sao Paulo Tournament (3): 1959, 1963, 1964
- Winner of the Copa Libertadores (2): 1962, 1963
- Winner of the Intercontinental Cup (2): 1962, 1963
- Winner of the Intercontinental Champions Super Bowl: 1968

"New York Cosmos", New York, NASL, USA
- NASL Champion: 1977

DATES AND NUMBERS

In the final stages of the World Cup, Pelé scored 12 goals.
- One of three players, along with Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose, who scored goals in four World Cups: 1958-1970.
- November 19, 1969 at the stadium "Maracana" Pelé scored his 1000th goal from the penalty spot
- Throughout his football career, Pele scored 1289 goals in 1363 games.
- In 1959, nineteen-year-old Pele scored 126 goals in 103 games in just one season.
- 90 times Pele scored three goals per game, 30 times - four goals, 4 times - five goals, once - 8 goals (September 21 - 1964, against Botafogo from Ribeirao Preto).
- South American Footballer of the Year 1973
- Liga Paulista record holder for the number of goals in one season: 58 goals

Brief biography of Pele

Pele, aka Edson Arantis do Nascimento, was born in Minas Gerais (a state in eastern Brazil) in 1940, at a time when Leonidas da Silva, the author of the so-called "bisicleta", was considered the best football player in the country. Pele's passport contains the date October 21, 1940, but Nascimento himself claims that the correct date differs by a couple of days - October 23.
There are only two clubs in the Brazilian's professional career - Santos and New York Cosmos.
Pelé is a Seleçao legend with 77 goals in 92 matches. The only player to have won three World Cups. During his career he scored 1283 goals.
He is the FIFA Player of the Century.

"My father was a footballer. Biele was a goalkeeper on his team. I was a big fan of his, but I always pronounce his name wrong. It sounded like Pile or Pele. Everyone teased me because of this and so my nickname stuck to me . I was constantly angry, throwing myself at everyone for this, "- so Nascimento recalls the days when, as a child, he kicked the ball in the Brazilian slums.
Already in school age Pele was significantly superior to his peers in ball control. Little Nascimento combined his studies and football with a part-time job - cleaning shoes.
At the age of 7, the boy got into the local youth team, impressing the coach, and got into the number of juniors.
At the age of 15 former player Brazilian national team Valdemar de Brito arranged for him to watch at the Santos club. Thanks to his technique and performance, he became the main striker and a year later became the main breadwinner in the family. Nature rewarded Pele with excellent peripheral vision, as well as phenomenal speed. Together with hard training (working out technique, hitting with both feet, dribbling), this made him the best player of our time, who showed high quality new level in football. Unusually gifted by nature, Pele, however, devoted a lot of time to working out individual components of football technology, thanks to which, for example, he hit the ball equally well with both feet. Another undoubted advantage of him is his excellent dribbling and stroking.
Pele's filigree ball possession technique was combined with high speed of movement, and the techniques worked out many times in training were combined with masterful improvisation.
Pele was also distinguished by scoring flair, exceptional intuition and a subtle understanding of the game.
Despite the high individual skill, Pele has always remained a supporter of team game.
“Without common efforts, victory in football is impossible,” he says. “Football is a team, a team, not one or two or three star players.”
Pele is known as the "grandmaster" of the pass, his passes to partners were accurate, timely - and often baffled opponents with their originality and surprise.
According to experts, there were no weaknesses in Pele's technique,
his specific style of play has largely changed the idea of ​​​​the possibilities and the very essence of football.
Many of the "miracles" that he demonstrated on the field have become legendary, and the goal scored in 1961 against Fluminense at the Maracana Stadium - after Pelé single-handedly beat the entire opposing team on the way from his own free kick, - was called the "goal of the century" and immortalized by installing a memorial sign on the "Maracana".

His records are still amazing:
Pele scored 77 goals for the national team (Ronaldo has 62, and Romario has only 55, Neymar only recently caught up with Zico - he has 48), scored a hat-trick 90 times in his career, 30 times - poker, 4 times - a penta-trick, and in September 1964 he scored 8 goals against Botafogo from Ribeirao Preto! His father, Dondinho, was also a football player, in one match he scored 6 goals with his head. The son did not submit to this record. In the final stages of the World Cup, Pelé scored 12 goals.
He is one of three players, along with Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose, to score goals in four World Cups.
In 1959, nineteen-year-old Pele scored 126 goals in 103 games in just one season.

In September 1956, when he was not yet 16, he first entered the field in official match club and scored a goal. In 19 years at Santos, Pelé won the São Paulo state title 11 times (and was the top scorer of the tournament the same number of times - the most productive was 1958: 58 goals). 6 times won the Brazilian Cup and twice - the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup.

Pele made his debut in the national team in 1958 in Sweden - at the age of 17, Nascimento was already ready for the most important tournament on the planet. In the game against the USSR national team, the newcomer came out in the starting lineup of his team along with such legends as Garrincha, Didi and Vava. In the quarter-final match against Wales, he scored the decisive goal. In the semi-final match, the Brazilians had a match with the French team led by Juste Fontaine, who at that time had already scored 12 goals (with 13 goals, Juste still holds the record for the number of goals in one world championship). Fontaine scored only once, and Pele scored a hat-trick and brought his team to the final. In the final match, Nascimento scored two goals against the hosts of the tournament. Having passed hard way, 17-year-old Pele became the youngest champion in the history of world championships (by the way, when Maradona became world champion, he was 10 years older).

At the 1962 World Cup, Pelé was injured in the group stage and was replaced by Amarildo. It was the only substitution in the Brazilian national team throughout the tournament. Led by Garrincha, the selesao were successful for the second time.
After 4 years, Pele was also injured during the group stage and could not help the national team - the Brazilians did not leave the group. Final tournament 1970 (fourth in sports biography Pele) became a triumph - for him personally, and for the whole team, whose composition in this championship, many experts consider the strongest in the history of the Brazilian national team. Brazilian football players, who won the Jules Rimet prize for the third time, received the right to keep it forever, and Pelé, after the victory of the national team in Mexico, became the only one in history who became the world football champion three times.
Despite the fact that Gerd Müller scored 10 goals, it was the Brazilian top ten that was recognized as the best player of the tournament.
It is symbolic that it was Pele who scored the hundredth goal of the Brazilian national team in Mexico for the entire time of its participation in the final tournaments of the World Championships.
He himself played 14 matches in these tournaments and scored 12 goals. IN total in performances for the national team (92 matches), he scored 77 goals against opponents - an achievement that still remains unsurpassed. At the same time, he never led a team with a captain's armband.

In 1974, after finishing his performances for Santos and the national team, Pele hung up his boots. However, the audience did not have to be bored for long - in 1975, Pele signed a contract with the American professional club New York Cosmos (from the North American Football League - NASL), which became a sensation in the football world.

The legendary Brazilian football player Pelé was hospitalized on November 24 due to a urinary tract infection. November 27 of his clinic. Earlier it was reported that the football player was transferred to the intensive care unit due to a deterioration in his condition.

An outstanding Brazilian athlete, the most famous footballer (striker) in history, Pele (Pele, real name - Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Edson Arantes Do Nascimento) was born on October 23, 1940 in the small town of Tres Coracoins in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.

The nickname "Pele" was assigned to the footballer as a child, but even he himself does not know its meaning.

Pele's father, Dondinho (real name - Joao Ramos do Nascimento), himself a former footballer, became the first teacher of his son and passed on to him some of the secrets of sportsmanship.

At the age of seven, the future champion began to play for the local children's team, and at the age of 15 he joined the world famous club Santos (Sao Paulo State). For all the time he played for Santos (1956-1974), he won the title of champion of the state of Sao Paulo 11 times and became the top scorer of the tournament the same number of times. He won the Copa Brazil six times and twice the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup.

In 1958, as part of the Brazilian national team, he made his debut at the World Cup in Sweden, where he scored his first goal for the national team, which he later called the most memorable and important goal in his sports biography, in a match with the Wales team. That year, the Brazilian national team won the World Cup for the first time, and Pelé became the youngest champion in football history.

In 1959, while playing for Santos, Pele scored 126 goals in 100 matches, setting one of his three famous records included in the Guinness Book of Records.

At the 1962 and 1966 World Championships, he was unable to fully express himself on the field due to injuries. The final tournament of 1970 (the fourth in Pele's sports biography) was a triumph - for him personally, and for the entire team, whose composition at this championship, many experts consider the strongest in the history of the Brazilian national team. Brazilian football players, who won the Jules Rimet prize for the third time, received the right to keep it forever, and Pelé, after the victory of the national team in Mexico, became the only three-time world football champion in history. It is symbolic that it was Pele who scored the hundredth goal of the Brazilian national team in Mexico for the entire time of its participation in the final tournaments of the World Cup.

In total, in performances for the national team (92 matches), he scored 77 goals against opponents - an achievement that still remains unsurpassed.

Throughout his career, Pele scored 1281 officially registered goals (in 1363 matches played for Santos, Cosmos and the national team). The most productive year in his biography was 1959: 126 goals.

On account of the best scorer in the history of world football, 92 hat-tricks (in football and hockey, this is how they call three goals scored in one match by one player), 30 matches where he scored four goals, and at least six games during which Pelé scored five goals. Another peculiar achievement of the King of Football was established in 1964, scoring eight goals in one match against Botafago.

Pele scored his 1000th goal on November 19, 1969 from a penalty in the Santos match against Vasco da Gama. The Brazilian Ministry of Communications issued in this regard postage stamp- the only one in the world dedicated to the individual achievement of an individual football player, and in Santos November 19 is annually celebrated as "Pele's Day".

Having finished playing for Santos and the national team, in 1975 Pele signed a contract with the American professional club New York Cosmos (from the North American Football League - NASL), which became a sensation in the football world. The decision to return to big sport Pele accepted in connection with the serious financial problems, as well as from a desire to contribute to the growth of the popularity of football in the United States. Both goals set before coming to the US were successfully achieved. By signing a contract with Cosmos, Pele became the highest paid athlete in the world at that time. And during his performances in America, the attendance of "European football" matches there has increased almost tenfold. October 1, 1977 Pele, who added to his extensive collection top awards and titles, the title of US champion, played a farewell match - against Santos - and ended his football career.

The Brazilian government declared Pele a "national treasure".

"Secret" Pele tried to unravel many. According to experts, there were no weaknesses in Pele's technique, his specific style of play largely changed the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe possibilities and the very essence of football. Many of the "miracles" that he demonstrated on the field have become legendary, and the goal scored in 1961 against Fluminense at the Maracanã stadium - after Pelé single-handedly beat the entire opposing team on the way from his own free kick, - was called the "goal of the century" and immortalized by installing a memorial sign on the "Maracana".

Over the years sports career Pele visited 88 countries, met with nine kings and one queen, 70 presidents, two popes.

In the mid-1970s, the film "Pele. The Master and His Method" was released, awarded 11 international prizes.

In December 2014, a new biographical film about Pele with the same name should be released.

In 1976, Pepsi-Cola established the $10,000 Pele Award, which is awarded annually to the best player of the year (US or Canadian citizen).

In 1999, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) named Pele the greatest athlete of the century (although he never participated in Olympic Games), and the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) recognized him as the best football player of the 20th century.

In 2014, FIFA President Joseph Blatter presented Pele with the honorary Ballon d'Or.

In 1969, Pele made his debut as an actor in the fantasy melodrama Aliens, and three years later he played leading role in the movie "The Walk".

Subsequently, he starred in the film of the famous American director John Huston "Victory" (1981), as well as in the films "Pedro Mino" (1984), "Eccentrics and the King of Football" (1986).

In 1965, the autobiographical book "I am Pele" was published, for which the author received the Gold Medal of Brazil. He is also known as a TV commentator, businessman, author and performer of his own songs.

In the second half of the 1990s, Pele served as Minister of Youth, Tourism and Sports of Brazil.

The former striker devotes a lot of time social activities(Ambassador good will UN and UNICEF), promotion of football and sports in general in different parts of the world. As part of a special educational program took part in the creation educational film for children about football.

Pele's case was continued by his son Edinho, who also joined Santos. But, unlike his father, he chose the role of a goalkeeper.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Pele (the name of Edson Arantes do Nascimento appears in the biography of the football player) is the most famous Brazilian professional ex-football player who played as a striker. In society, he is considered and recognized as the greatest football player of all time. In 1999 International Federation Football and Statistics (IFFHS) Pele was recognized as the "Best Player of the 20th Century". In the same year, the International Olympic Committee recognized Pele as the “Best Athlete of the Century. According to IFFHS statistics, the Brazilian is the most successful scorer in world football. During his career, Pele scored 1281 goals in 1363 matches (this also includes unofficial friendly matches and exhibition games). Football player Pele, whose biography is still being studied and rewritten, was once the highest paid athlete in the world. The Brazilian is a three-time world champion. This is the only indicator in the world that no one could surpass. An article about the biography of the football player Pele in Russian is presented to your attention. 95% of the world's population knows about it. His game is impossible to forget and fall out of love. This is the best footballer of the 20th century in all football criteria and categories.

Biography of the football player Pele: childhood

He was born on October 23, 1940 in the city of Tres Coracoins (Minas Gerais, Brazil). He was brought up in the family of a football player from the Fluminense club under the nickname Dondinho (the real name of his father is Joao Ramos do Nascimento). Mother's name was Celeste Arantes. Pele was the eldest child in the family. In addition to him, there were two brothers and one sister. The parents wanted to name their son in honor of the famous American inventor Thomas Edison, with only a minor remark - to remove one letter from the name to make it Edson. However, an error was made when filling out the birth certificate, as a result of which "Edison" was written on the document. In the family, he was affectionately called by the nickname "Diko". But why Pele? The point is that in early age Edson was a fan of Brazilian Vasco da Gama footballer Biele. When pronouncing his name, he made a speech therapy error, as a result of which “Pele” was heard.

Initially, Edson did not like being called that, but the more angry he got, the faster the nickname stuck. However, talking about his biography, football player Pele said he did not know where his nickname came from. That is why the debate about where this “Pele” came from does not stop in society. Even in Hebrew and Portuguese, the word "Pele" does not have any lexical meaning, it's just a bunch of syllables.

Family

The Pelé family lived in poverty and destitution in the city of Bauru (São Paulo state). IN early years the guy was working on various works(waiter, seller, cleaner, etc.) to somehow help parents. The guy didn't even have money for a real soccer ball. At one time he played with a sock stuffed with old newspapers and grapefruit. IN adolescence he played for several amateur teams - "Set de Setembo", "Canto do Rio", "San Paulinho" and "Americano". Later he began to train in the youth team "Bauru" under the guidance of coach Valdemar de Brito. Also in the biography of the football player Pele (see photo below), information is noted that in his youth he played futsal (futsal), played for the Radium team, with which he achieved considerable success.

Mini football

As the football player himself notes, futsal is like sport game much more difficult than normal football. Here you need to work much faster than on the grass. Players must make decisions in a matter of fractions of a second in order to pass the ball to a partner or shoot at the goal. The complexity of the game is explained by the fact that the players are in sufficient proximity to each other, which especially increases the speed and complicates the rhythm of the game. At the age of fourteen Pelé played futsal in adult teams. At one of the tournaments, he did not pass by age, he was too young. However, somehow he managed to take part in the tournament in which he became the top scorer. This gave him special confidence, because he became the best among the players who are 5 or more years older than him.

Professional Football: Career with Santos

In 1956, at the age of 15, Pele became a full-fledged player in the Brazilian Santos. The debut took place in the match against Corinthians, where the young striker with the inscription on the Pele T-shirt scored a goal. For the entire period of playing for Santos (from 1956 to 1974), he became the 11-time champion of the states of Sao Paulo. It is amazing that all these 11 times he became the top scorer. The 1957/1958 season turned out to be a record one - Pele scored 59 goals in a season. With Santos, he became a six-time winner of the Brazilian Cup, two-time winner of the Copa Libertadores and two-time winner of the Intercontinental Cup.

Performances for the Brazilian national team

The first appearance for the Brazilian national team - at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden - turned out to be no less successful than for Santos, given that Pele arrived at this tournament with a minor injury. Pele entered the field in the starting lineup against the USSR national team, and in the ¼ finals he hit the gates of Wales, recording his first goal for the national team (the goal became decisive in the match). Further more! In the semi-final, the young Brazilian striker simply neutralized the defense of the French team and scored a hat-trick, thereby ensuring his team's place in the final. In the final confrontation, the Brazilians were waiting for the Swedish team - the hosts of the tournament. In this fight, the swift-footed Pele made a double and secured the title of the youngest world champion in the history of world football (the record is still relevant to this day).

The only three-time World Cup champion

At the 1962 and 1966 world championships, Pele was unable to fully show his talents due to existing injuries. 1970 (the fourth in the biography of the football player Pele) in Mexico became legendary for Pele and the Brazilian national team. This time, the Brazilian national team became the world champion for the third time in the history of their country, and Pelé became the only footballer in the world who managed to become the victor of the world championship three times (the record holds to this day). In total, Pele played 92 matches for the national team and hit the opponents' goal 77 times. This indicator has been considered the best for more than forty years. It is strange that with such honor and merit, Pelé has never taken his national team to the field as team captain.

Performances for New York Cosmos

Pele played for Santos from 1956 to 1974. He played for the Brazilian national team from 1957 to 1971. During this time, he managed to become the most skillful, recognizable and simply the best football player in the whole world. In 1975, Pele signed with the American club New York Cosmos of the NASL. This transfer caused a storm of emotions in the football community, because football in America was just in its infancy and its level was much lower than in the same Brazil, in which Pelé became the “king of football”. Pelé agreed to play in the Cosmos shirt due to financial difficulties (the reason was unscrupulous advisers).

In addition, the football player claimed that he would play for the idea of ​​​​development and popularization of football in the United States. Signing a contract with the New York Cosmos made him the highest paid football player in the world. Pelé spent only 2 seasons in the American League, and during this time the number of spectators and fans in the United States increased 10 times. In 1977, as part of Cosmos, the Brazilian also became the champion of the North American Football League.

Biography of the football player Pele: interesting facts

• Santos had a contract with the organizers football matches, which stated that if Pele does not enter the field, then the club's fee will be 2 times less.
• During civil war in Nigeria in 1970, the conflicting parties agreed on a two-day truce due to upcoming match Santos in Lagos, in which Pele played.
• After the release of an autobiographical book called “I am Pele”, hundreds of thousands of illiterate Brazilians began to learn to read and write in order to familiarize themselves with the memoirs of a great football player and compatriot (for this, Pele was awarded a gold medal, which was presented to him by the Brazilian Ministry of Education).
• Pele has a son, Edson, who plays for Santos as a goalkeeper.
• About the "king of football" such feature films have been made as "The Small Miracle" (1981), "This is Pelé" (1974), "Escape to Victory" (1982), "The Tramps and the King of Football" (1986), "Pele Forever" (2004), "Pele: The Birth of a Legend" (2016) and others.
• In the Brazilian city of Maceio, a 30,000-seat football stadium was built, named after Pele - "King Pelé".

Personal life

In the late 1990s, Pele admitted that his first sexual contact was homosexual. According to the "king of football" and the father of seven children, he was only 14 years old, and his partner was much older. The football player says that this was the only time, arguing that in Brazil this happens often among teenagers, and that this does not determine the further orientation in any way. After this incident, Pele did not return to homosexual contacts, but continued to live with a heterosexual orientation.

In 1966, the Brazilian married Rosemary dos Flight Shelby. In marriage, they had three children: Kelly Christina (born in 1967), Edson (born in 1970) and Jennifer (born in 1978). After 16 years life together(in 1982) the couple divorced. In the biography of the football player Pele, the fact that in 1961 an illegitimate daughter, Sandra, was born from a housekeeper. The fact that Pele is her father was confirmed by DNA testing.

In 1994, Pele married again, now to Assiria Lemos Seixas. In this marriage, two more children were born - the twins Joshua and Celeste. In 2008, Pele and Assyria divorced.

In the summer of 2016, Pele married for the 3rd time, now to a fifty-year-old Brazilian businesswoman of Japanese origin, Marcia Cibele Aoki.

Now you know the biography of the football player Pele. The personal life of the legendary athlete was also considered in the article.

Name: Edson Arantis do Nascimento Date of birth: October 23, 1940. Place of birth: Tres Coracoins, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Childhood and youth

An outstanding football player was born in 1940 in small town Tres Coracoins in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Pele was the first child in the family, then two brothers and a sister were born. His father was a footballer. The family did not live well, so early childhood The boy had to work.

He was affectionately called "Diko" in his family. He received the nickname "Pele" in school years. The fact is that the boy incorrectly pronounced the name of his idol - Bile, who was the goalkeeper of the local Vasco da Gama football club. As a result, he was given the nickname "Pele". However, the footballer himself wrote in his autobiography that he had no idea where it came from and what it means.

Pele was taught to play football by his father, who himself played for the Brazilian football club Fluminense. Due to lack of money, they had to play with whatever they could get their hands on: a sock stuffed with newspaper or grapefruit.

From the age of 7, he played for the local children's team, where he was distinguished by a spectacular and productive game in attack, which quickly allowed him to take the place of the main striker.

Football career

"Santos"

In June 1956, the young man signed his first professional contract and made his debut for the main team of Santos in September. In this game, he managed to score his first goal.

In 1957, ten months after signing the contract, Pele received a place in the Brazilian national football team, for which he played until 1971. During this time, he entered the field more than 90 times and scored 77 goals.

After the 1962 World Cup, wealthy European clubs such as Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United tried to lure the young footballer to their side, but the Brazilian government declared Pelé a "national treasure" a year earlier in order to prevent the transfer of a football player to any European club.

During his 19 years with Santos (1956-1974), Pelé won the São Paulo state title 11 times (and became the top scorer of the tournament the same number of times - the most productive was 1958: 58 goals). 6 times won the Brazilian Cup and twice - the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup.

In the Santos football club there is a "Day of Pele", which is celebrated on November 19 - on this very day famous football player scored his 1000th goal.

"New York Cosmos"

After playing the 1974 season with Santos, Pelé retired from Brazilian club football and signed a three-year, $7 million contract with the American professional club Cosmos, which was a real shock and sensation in the football world. After signing this contract, Pele became the highest paid athlete in the world.

As part of the American team, Pele played three seasons and brought American football to a new level. At matches involving Pele, the stadiums were completely packed. In three years with Cosmos, Pelé played over 100 matches, scored 64 goals and won the North American League title.

farewell match

On October 1, 1977, the last match in the career of the legendary football player took place. Two teams entered the field of the New York stadium: Pele's native Santos and Cosmos. The audience wondered which team Pele would play for this time. But the 37-year-old football player decided to do his own thing: in the first half of the game he played for Cosmos, the second - for Santos. Right at the gate native club, with whom he played for 19 years, Pele scored the last goal.

Throughout his career, Pele scored 1281 officially registered goals (in 1363 matches played for Santos, Cosmos and the national team). The most productive year in his biography was 1959: 126 goals.

Life after leaving big football

Moving away from his football career, Pele began to work with aspiring football players. Outside of work, he studied grammar at regular school, after that he entered the university and received a diploma in economics.

Soon legendary athlete caught the attention of filmmakers. Pele has repeatedly acted in films, including documentaries and biographical ones, where he played himself. Pele also wrote an autobiographical book, I am Pele. It is interesting that after the release of this book, many Brazilians began to study literacy on purpose in order to read the memoirs of their compatriot.

In 1992, the legendary footballer was appointed UN Ambassador for Ecology and the Environment.

He was also named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 1995.

In 2000, he was recognized as the best football player of the 20th century.

In 2010, he was named Honorary President of New York Cosmos.

In 2012, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh for "significant contributions to the humanities and ecological problems as well as for sporting achievements.

Personal life

In 1966, Pele married a girl named Rosemary. The couple lived in marriage for 16 years, during which time they had three children: two daughters and a son, who later followed in his father's footsteps and played for Santos. However, he failed to achieve success, as he was sentenced to 33 years. imprisonment for the distribution of drugs.

The football player remarried in 1994 to singer Assyria Lemos Seixas. They had twins, but this marriage broke up after 14 years. In addition, the athlete has two more illegitimate daughters from different women.

At the age of 73, Pele married for the third time. This time, his chosen one was Marcia Aoki.

The woman is of mixed Brazilian and Japanese descent and is a medical equipment supplier in South America. She is 30 years younger than her husband.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, the most famous and perhaps the greatest football player of all time, was born in Brazil on October 23, 1940. Grew up in poor family. From childhood he was fond of the game, in which he later became an idol for millions, although his first balls were made from socks and newspapers.

From 1956, when he signed his first professional contract, until his farewell match in 1977, he scored 757 goals (or 1,283 goals, depending on how you count) and won three World Cups. Pele is called the Black Pearl and the King of Football. No other player has come close to his accomplishments. He was recognized as the best football player of the 20th century by the FIFA Football Commission and the best athlete of the 20th century by the International Olympic Committee.

In the summer of 1958, the incredibly talented, but still very young, Pelé flew to Sweden with the Brazilian national team for the World Cup. When he returned home, his name was known throughout the planet.

Phenomenon

Pele (right) with Santos teammates in 1957 Photo: Popperfoto/Getty Images.

Pele was not even 16 years old when he joined Santos, his first professional club, for which he played his first international match and scored his first goal, as a result of which Brazil beat Argentina 2-1 on July 7, 1957 . In less than a year, Pelé will be a football star in Sweden.

Examination

Medics examining Pele in 1958. Photo: Popperfoto/Getty Images.

In 1958, Pelé was selected for Brazil's World Cup squad, after which he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of the first two games of the tournament. (The Brazilians won against Austria and drew against England.) The young striker started his team against the USSR.

Debut

Pelé (third from left) lines up with the Brazilian national team before the match with the national team Soviet Union. Photo: Popperfoto/Getty Images.

On June 15, 1958, Pele became the youngest participant in the World Championships, this record was held by him for 24 years. (In 1982, the record was broken by Northern Irish footballer Norman Whiteside, who at that time was 17 years and 41 days old, that is, six months less than Pelé in 1958.) Brazilian footballer Vava, Pelé's teammate, scored two goals in a game with Soviet team, and Brazil beat the USSR with a score of 2:0.

Strategist

Pele, known as the "grandmaster" of the pass, for board game. Photo: Popperfoto/Getty Images.

First goal

Pele's teammates congratulate him after the winning goal. Photo: Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images.

In the quarter-finals, Brazil played against Wales. At the 66th minute, Pele opened the scoring and scored the only goal of the match. Brazil advanced to the semi-finals and Pele entered his name in the record books as the youngest player ever to score a goal in a World Cup.

Signing autographs

Photo: adoc-photos/Corbis via Getty Images.

Photo: PA Images via Getty Images.

Hat trick

Pelé scores the first of three goals on 24 June. Photo: Popperfoto/Getty Images.

On June 24, Pele scored three goals - the third, fourth and fifth, as a result, the Brazilian team beat the French team with a score of 5: 2. French footballer Juste Fontaine, who holds the record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup (13 goals at the 1958 World Cup), later said: " When I saw Pele play, I felt that it was time for me to take a well-deserved rest.».

View from the stands

Pele scores another goal against France.

On the front lines

Pelé and teammates look through newspapers before the match against Sweden. Photo: Philippe Le Tellier/Paris Match via Getty Images.

Pele relaxes in training. Photo: Keystone/Getty Images.

Two kings

Future King of Football and King of Sweden at the World Cup final. Photo: Keystone/Getty Images.“And when the king of Sweden came down from the stands to the field to shake my hand, it went through my head: “God, does my father know about this back in Brazil?”

Playing with the Swedes

Pele and Swedish goalkeeper Kalle Svensson in the World Cup final. Photo: Popperfoto/Getty Images.

On June 29, Brazil met at the championship with the host country - Sweden. The hosts of the tournament scored the first goal in the fourth minute of the match, but Brazil seized the initiative and twice drove the ball into the opponents' goal.

The defeat of the Swedes

Photo: Bettmann Archive.

In the 55th minute, Pele scored a spectacular goal.

Pelé at number 10 with his teammates on the field after winning the World Cup. Photo: Popperfoto/Getty Images.

In the 90th minute, Pelé scored again, this time with a header. It was his second goal of the game, Brazil won 5-2. " And then I suddenly lost consciousness in front of the gate and, Pele recalls in his autobiography, Confessions of a Lover of Life, published in 2006. - Garrincha ran up and lifted my legs to let the blood flow to my head. When I woke up, the game was over. I was filled with emotions».

Pele celebrates Brazil's victory. Photo: Philippe Le Tellier/Paris Match via Getty Images.

Takeoff

The Brazilian national team and Pele retained the championship title in the next two World Cups (three times in a row).

Photo: Philippe Le Tellier/Paris Match via Getty Images.

Photo: Philippe Le Tellier/Paris Match via Getty Images.

In 1977, Pele, having collected an extraordinary collection of awards and titles, played a farewell match and ended his football career. But his popularity, like his craftsmanship, has remained phenomenal. In 1994, he became a UNESCO Ambassador, in 1995 - the Minister of Sports of Brazil, and in 1999 the IOC named him the greatest athlete of the century.

When he wrote the book "I am Pele", many illiterate Brazilians began to learn to read in order to read the memoirs of a famous compatriot. He was photographed more than any movie star, and was awarded a record number of titles of honorary citizen of cities and countries.

And it all started in Sweden. Photo: Popperfoto/Getty Images.