Pelé
Footballer · Forward
1940–2022 · Born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil · 3 min read
- Last verified: 12 November 2026
- Sources: 4
- Reviewed by Muse — Phase D second review (independent check)
Brazilian footballer, the only player to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970); Santos' all-time top scorer and football's first global icon.
Early Life
Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and spent most of his childhood in Bauru, São Paulo state, where his family lived in poverty. He was given the nickname Pelé as a boy; the name's origin is not firmly documented. The former Brazil international Waldemar de Brito recognised his talent and helped arrange his move to Santos in 1956, when he was 15.
Career
Pelé joined Santos at the age of 15 in 1956 and made his debut for Brazil at 16 in 1957. At the 1958 World Cup in Sweden he scored six goals, including a hat-trick in the semi-final against France and two in the 5–2 final win over Sweden, becoming the youngest player to win a World Cup. He was part of the squads that won again in 1962 — though a thigh injury in the second match kept him out of the rest of the tournament — and in 1970, when he scored four goals, including the opening goal of the final against Italy, as Brazil won a third title and kept the Jules Rimet Trophy permanently. With Santos he won nine São Paulo state championships and the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1962 and 1963. He left Santos in 1974, then played for the New York Cosmos from 1975 to 1977, helping to popularise football in the United States, and retired after winning the North American Soccer League championship in 1977. After retiring he worked as a football ambassador and, from 1995 to 1998, as Brazil's Minister of Sports.
Achievements
Pelé is the only footballer to have won three World Cups, with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup matches, including a hat-trick in the 1958 semi-final against France and two goals in the final against Sweden, at the age of 17. He scored 77 goals in 92 matches for Brazil, a record he held for more than 50 years, and is Santos' all-time top scorer with 643 goals in 659 matches. He led Santos to the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup in both 1962 and 1963. He was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999 and FIFA Player of the Century in 2000, and served as Brazil's Minister of Sports from 1995 to 1998.
Legacy
Pelé is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history and was one of the sport's first global icons, famous well beyond football. His three World Cup wins remain unmatched by any other player, and his goalscoring record for Brazil stood for more than half a century until Neymar passed it in September 2023. His move to the New York Cosmos in 1975 brought world attention to football in the United States. In Brazil he is a national hero, and the government declared his name a national treasure in 1961 to prevent foreign clubs from signing him.
Major Achievements
- Won three FIFA World Cups with Brazil, in 1958, 1962 and 1970 — the only player to do so
- Scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup matches, including two in the 1958 final at the age of 17
- Scored 77 goals in 92 matches for Brazil, a national record he held for more than 50 years
- Is Santos' all-time top scorer, with 643 goals in 659 matches
- Led Santos to the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup in both 1962 and 1963
- Named FIFA Player of the Century in 2000 and Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999
- Served as Brazil's Minister of Sports from 1995 to 1998
Contributions
Pelé's contribution to football was to make it a global spectacle: a teenage star of the 1958 World Cup, the only three-time World Cup winner, and a goalscorer whose records for Brazil and Santos stood for decades. His years with the New York Cosmos helped establish professional football in the United States, and as Brazil's Minister of Sports he promoted sport as public policy.
Milestones
- 1956 — Joined Santos Football Club at the age of 15 Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1957 — Made his debut for the Brazil national team, aged 16 Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1958 — Won his first World Cup with Brazil, aged 17, scoring six goals including two in the final against Sweden Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1962 — Won a second World Cup with Brazil and the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup with Santos Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia
- 1970 — Won a third World Cup with Brazil, scoring four goals in the tournament Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1974 — Left Santos after 18 seasons Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1975 — Joined the New York Cosmos in the United States Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1977 — Retired from football after winning the North American Soccer League championship Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 1995 — Appointed Brazil's Minister of Sports, serving until 1998 Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia
- 1999 — Named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 2000 — Named FIFA Player of the Century Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia
- 2022 — Died in São Paulo, aged 82 Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Timeline
- 23 October 1940
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1956
Joined Santos Football Club at the age of 15
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1957
Made his debut for the Brazil national team, aged 16
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1958
Won his first World Cup with Brazil, aged 17, scoring six goals including two in the final
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1962
Won a second World Cup with Brazil; won the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup with Santos
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia - 1970
Won a third World Cup with Brazil, scoring four goals in the tournament
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1974
Left Santos after 18 seasons
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1975
Joined the New York Cosmos in the United States
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1977
Retired from football after winning the North American Soccer League championship with the Cosmos
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 1995
Appointed Brazil's Minister of Sports, serving until 1998
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia - 1999
Named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - 2000
Named FIFA Player of the Century
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Wikipedia - 29 December 2022
Died in São Paulo, Brazil, aged 82
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Related Personalities
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pelé?
Pelé (1940–2022), born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was a Brazilian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history. He is the only player to have won three World Cups, with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Source: Encyclopaedia BritannicaHow many World Cups did Pelé win?
Three: in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He is the only footballer to have won three World Cups, and at 17 he was the youngest player ever to win one.
Source: Encyclopaedia BritannicaHow many goals did Pelé score?
Guinness World Records credits him with 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches between 1956 and 1977, a figure that includes friendlies and exhibition matches; counts of official matches only are lower. For Brazil he scored 77 goals in 92 matches (FIFA's count), a record he held for more than 50 years.
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Guinness World RecordsWhich clubs did Pelé play for?
He played almost his entire career for Santos in Brazil (1956–1974), then for the New York Cosmos in the United States (1975–1977).
Source: Encyclopaedia BritannicaWhat did Pelé do after retiring from football?
After retiring in 1977 he worked as a football ambassador around the world, wrote autobiographies and appeared in films. From 1995 to 1998 he served as Brazil's Minister of Sports. He died in São Paulo on 29 December 2022, aged 82.
Source: Encyclopaedia BritannicaSources & References
- Pelé — Encyclopaedia Britannica — Encyclopaedia Britannica (accessed 12 November 2026)
- Pelé — Wikipedia (cross-check) — Wikipedia (accessed 12 November 2026)
- Neymar breaks Pelé's Brazil goal-scoring record — The Hindu — The Hindu (accessed 12 November 2026)
- File:Pele con brasil (cropped).jpg — Wikimedia Commons (portrait file page) — Wikimedia Commons (accessed 12 November 2026)
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