The football World suffered a loss on Thursday 29th December, 2022 following the passing away of Edson Arantes do Nascimento popularly addressed as Pelé. Without including Pelé, no conversation about the greatest soccer player in history is complete. The Brazilian attacker, whose extraordinarily successful career lasted from the middle of the 1950s to the late 1970s, gained his name as a goal machine who delivered fantastic highlights.
Pelé spent the majority of his career with the Brazilian team Santos at a period when South American players seldom traveled outside of their home countries to play. One cannot, however, argue that Pele shouldn’t be considered one of the greatest players of all time or the best player ever simply because he did not play for a team in Europe. The Santos team in the 1960s, with Pelé as its star and most important member, won every competition at the regional, national, and continental levels. The group is still regarded as one of Brazil’s top soccer teams.
However, it was Pelé’s work with the Brazilian national soccer team—three of Brazil’s five total World Cup victories—that cemented his reputation around the world. With his move to the NY Cosmos toward the end of his career, Pelé significantly contributed to the growth of soccer in the United States.
Pelé was arguably the most well-known and well-paid athlete in the world during his day. He was a member of the three World Cup-winning Brazilian national teams (1958, 1962, and 1970).
Pelé was turned down by big teams in the city of Sao Paulo after playing for a local league club in Bauru, Sao Paulo state. He eventually joined the Santos Football Club in 1956, and with Pelé playing inside left forward, the team won nine Sao Paulo league titles as well as the Libertadores Cup and the Intercontinental Club Cup in 1962 and 1963.
He was given the nickname “Pérola Negra” (Latin for “Black Pearl”) and became a national hero in Brazil. He was an exceptional kicker of the ball who also had a great ability to read the movements of other players. The Brazilian government designated Pelé a national treasure following the 1958 World Cup in an effort to deter lucrative offers from European clubs and guarantee that he would stay in Brazil. He scored his 1,000th goal on November 19, 1969, in his 909th first-class game.
At the age of 16, Pelé made his international debut, and the following year, he participated in his first World Cup finals match in Sweden. At first, the Brazilian manager was cautious to use his young star.
Pelé made an immediate impression when he eventually entered the field, rattling the post with one shot and earning an assist. In the semi final against France, he scored three goals, and in the final, Brazil defeated Sweden 5-2, he scored two goals. In the second game of the 1962 World Cup finals, Pelé tore a thigh muscle and was forced to miss the rest of the competition.
Brazil eventually won its second World Cup championship, nevertheless. 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’s electrifying play and penchant for spectacular goals made him a star around the world. His team Santos toured internationally in order to take full advantage of his popularity.
See some fascinating information about the greatest player to ever come out of Brazil.
- Teenage World Cup Records
- The youngest player to win the FIFA World Cup
- The youngest player to score in a FIFA World Cup game
- The youngest player to play in a FIFA World Cup Final
- The youngest player to score in a FIFA world Cup Final
- The youngest player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup game
All of these he attained at the 1958 FIFA World Cup at the age of seventeen.
2. Only Player To Win The World Cup Three Times.
Pelé won the World Cup three times with Brazil (1958, 1962 and 1970). He’s the only player to have achieved this feat in the history of the round leather game.
3. There Was A 48-hour Ceasefire Agreement During The Nigerian Civil War Due to Pelé’s Presence.
In 1969 during the Nigerian civil war between the federal republic of Nigeria troops and the Biafran army both parties agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire to watch Pelé play in a friendly game in Lagos.
4. Europe Deal Fell Through
Many European teams sought after Pelé and their efforts to hire the Brazilian couldn’t go through, but only Inter Milan came close to doing so. After a protest by Santos supporters who didn’t want Pele to leave the team, the agreement collapsed.
5. Pelé was officially declared a national treasure by the Brazilian government.
In order to stop his move away from Brazil, Pelé was designated a national treasure by the Brazilian government in 1961.
In the course of football’s history, several outstanding players have enlivened the game. Pelé, though, is unquestionably one of the best players ever and is the only one to have produced as much mystery and enchantment.
