Contents
Pelé
Winning three football World Cups with Brazil.
Santos · Brazil
- Born
- 23 October 1940
- Birthplace
- Três Corações, Brazil
- Died
- 29 December 2022
More people
Pelé
A Brazilian forward whose scoring, close control and creativity helped make football a global spectacle.
Early life
Bauru childhood
Grew up with limited money in São Paulo state.
Learning at home
His father, the footballer Dondinho, taught him the game.
Career
- 1956
Santos debut
Joined the club that became the centre of his Brazilian career.
- 1957
International debut
Began playing for Brazil.
- 1975
New York Cosmos
Moved to US club football.
- 1977
Retirement
Finished his professional playing career.
Achievements
World Cup breakthrough
Won the tournament with Brazil at seventeen.
Continental club titles
Helped Santos win consecutive Copa Libertadores titles.
Third World Cup
Won again with Brazil after also being in the 1962 winning squad.
Beyond football
Global ambassador
Continued representing football internationally after retirement.
Screen appearances
Also worked in films and commercial projects.
Sources & photo credit
Biographical reference ↗FIFA: Pelé’s three World Cups ↗Photo: Unknown author Unknown author. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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