Less than a month after the 2022 World Cup games, three time World Cup champion footballer Pele has died. Known as the Brazilian king of soccer, Pele died December 29, 2022 in Sao Paulo, Brazil as a result of colon cancer.
Known for changing the game of football into “the beautiful game” with his Samba type moves, Pele helped to bring the game from a sport an art form and entertainment.
He spent nearly 20 years thrilling fans with his play and became one of the game’s most prolific scorers. For many long time football fans, Pele is the greatest in the game. It is estimated that he has scored at least 650 goals during his professional career in the league.
A household name the world over, Pele saw Nigeria temporarily halt a civil war so that he could play an exhibition game. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II knighted Pele in 1997 and when he came to the United States to help launch the game, it was then President who extended his hand first saying, “my name is Ronald Reagan, I’m the president of the United States of America. But you don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pelé is.”
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on October 23, 1940 in Tres Coracoes, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Pele’s journey to football legend started on the streets kicking around a sock filled with newspapers or rags. He was “discovered” when he was eleven and taken to Santos to play in the youth league. He made his professional debut when he was just 16 years old.
Becoming the youngest player ever in the World Cup, Pele made his debut while still in his teens at the 1958 World Cup competition in Sweden. He scored two of the five goals for Brazil in the final against Sweden to give Brazil the championship.
Injury prevented Pele from making any big contributions to the 1962 World Cup repeat but in 1970 in Mexico, he was instrumental in helping Brazil to win their third title in a 4 – 1 victory over Italy.
Considered a national treasure, he spent three years in the United States playing for the New York Cosmos where he scored 64 goals.
His final game came in 1977 in an exhibition game between Santos and the New York Cosmos – he played a half for each team.
After leaving the game; he was a businessman, named the Extraordinary Minister for Sport in Brazil, and an ambassador the UNESCO and the United Nations. He also appeared in films and television and composed and recorded popular Brazilian music.
Edson became Pele when he mispronounced the name of a player named Bile.
He is survived by his third wife Marcia Cibele Aoki and children.
Feature photo credit: Stamp of Ajman – 1968 – Colnect 369336 – Edson Arantes do Nascimento – Pelé – 1940 FC Santos.jpeg