33 Interesting Fun Cool Facts about Pele, Football Legend

What are some of the interesting fun cool amazing facts about Pele, the famous football legend? Pele was recognized as the individual who elevated football to the level of an art form in FIFA's 1904–1984 jubilee book. The Brazilian attacker was also awarded the World Footballer of the Century by the organization that governs the sport, and the International Olympic Committee selected him as their athlete of the 20th century. Pele, who was little in height but for whom no accolade is too great, was the king of football.

The ball was at his feet from birth. Every action, pass, and goal was exceptional. He won over admirers with his skill, agility, and passion for the game.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento was named after the American inventor Thomas Alva Edison and was born on October 23, 1940, in Tres Coracoes, Brazil. Even the man himself would never know what his moniker meant. The most prevalent version holds that he was a young admirer of his father's team's goalie named "Bile," but he mispronounced it as "Pile." He disliked the term, yet it endured and eventually became Pele.

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International breakthrough

Pele signed a deal with Brazilian team Santos in 1956, and at the age of 15, scored in his league debut against St. Andre. He was quickly selected for the Brazilian national squad. He made his international debut for Brazil in a 2-1 loss to Argentina at the age of 16 years and 257 days, scoring the game's lone goal.

He was in the team for the World Cup in Sweden a year later, but he had to be happy with starting on the bench. Then, though, the tiny magician helped his nation win the championship by scoring six goals in four games. Pele put on an amazing show of artistic and technical football skills in the championship game versus the hosts. A global superstar was born.

Pele was the most beloved football player in his birthplace from the very beginning of his career. At the age of just 20, the Brazilian government went so far as to designate him a national treasure in order to stop him from accepting a transfer overseas. Pele was received like a head of state when he left Brazil's boundaries. But the forward experienced a setback at the 1962 World Cup in Chile. Brazil successfully defended their championship, although football's newest star hardly participated after falling hurt in the second match of the group stage.

Pele led Brazil to their third championship in 1970 in Mexico, perhaps in an attempt to redeem a dismal season. A year later, in front of 180,000 spectators at Rio de Janeiro's famed Maracana stadium, the phenomenal striker made his 92nd international appearance. It marked Pele's last game for the Selecao. Pele was just 30 when he retired from international play, and many thought it was premature. However, with 77 goals to his record and a distinctive playing style, no one could question his dedication.

Minister and Ambassador for UNESCO

Pele had a variety of positions after his playing career, including that of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and Extraordinary Minister for Sport of Brazil, which he utilized to fight corruption in the nation's football. Additionally, he owned a television company, wrote memoirs, appeared in movies, and was honored with several accolades from the major media and athletic organizations in the world.

He once remarked, "I take on the obligation to teach how to not just be a brilliant footballer, but also a good guy. Every youngster in the world wants to play football like Pele.

Pele has a lot of health issues in recent years, including a hip operation in 2012, kidney stone removal surgery, a urinary tract infection, and a battle with cancer. Pele's son, Edinho, said in an interview with TV Globo in February 2020 that his father had grown "reclusive" due to his declining health and had become "depressed" and "embarrassed."

Pele had a number of relationships, was married three times, and had both legally and illegally fathered children. But Pele will always be remembered as the greatest football player in history.

Interesting Fun Cool Facts about Pele, Football Legend

1. Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi and Pele were married for the first time in 1966. Two girls were a blessing for the couple. In 1982, they got divorced.
2. He wed gospel singer and psychotherapist Assria Lemos Seixas in 1994. Joshua and Celeste, twins, were born to her. The pair has broken up.
3. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, on December 29, 2022, 82-year-old Pele passed away from colon cancer.
4. He had a love relationship with Xuxa, whom he helped become a model, from 1981 to 1986. Xuxa was just 17 years old when their relationship began.
5. Dondinho and Dona Celeste Arantes gave birth to Pele as Edson Arantes do Nascimento. He was the couple's first child. His younger sibling exists. His father played soccer.
6. His pals began naming him Pele after Vasco da Gama, whom he mispronounced as "Pele," his favorite football player, following his original moniker, Dico.
7. He was given a spot with Waldemar de Brito's youth Bauru Athletic Club team because of his unique playing style and talent for the game. Between 1954 and 1956, he was the team's captain as they won three games in a row. He also won a number of regional indoor football titles and contests.
8. He started playing regularly for the squad in 1957, and within a short time he was the league's leading scorer. His outstanding performance allowed him to be selected for the Brazil national squad.
9. He faced Argentina in his debut international contest in July 1957. He scored his first goal for his country, making history as the youngest player to ever score in an international football game, even though Brazil lost the game 2-1.
10. Pele scored a total of six goals in four games at the 1958 World Cup, making a huge impact in the tournament's quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship. While competing in the 1958 World Cup, he set several records.
11. His finest club year came in 1962, when he led Santos to victories in the Campeonato Brasiliero, Taça Brasil, and the 1962 Intercontinental Cup. He also led Santos to a dramatic triumph in the Copa Libertadores tournament.
12. Regarding the 1962 World Cup, he was injured and missed the majority of the competition despite all the anticipation and fanfare.
13. Following the victories in 1964 and 1965, both the club's upward trajectory and his contribution to it recovered. Pele did not have a significant role in the club's success, despite the fact that it won the Paulista trophy three years in a row.
14. Pele last competed in a World Cup during the 1970 edition. He participated in every qualification game and helped Brazil score 14 of its goals during the competition. Pele was selected "Player of the Tournament" for his outstanding performance and significant contributions as Brazil won the World Cup.
15. On October 1, 1977, Cosmos and Santos played in an exhibition game, which was formally his last game. He took the field for Santos in the second half after playing the first half for Cosmos. At the beginning of the first half, he scored his final goal on a straight free kick against Santos. Cosmos triumphed 2-1 in the game.
16. He was awarded numerous prestigious honors and decorations, including Brazil's Gold Medal, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and the BBC Lifetime Achievement Award, for his impressive resume of victories and his extraordinary contribution to raising the status of the sport to newer heights.
17. He was selected as the Football Player of the Century in 1999 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). Additionally, the International Olympic Committee and Reuters News Agency selected him as the "Athlete of the Century."
18. Pele used to play football with a grapefruit or a sock filled with newspaper and tied with a thread since he could not afford a decent football in his early years.
19. When Pele scored a goal against Wales in the 1958 World Cup, he did so to become the sport's youngest player to ever score a World Cup goal. At the moment, he was 17 years and 239 days old.
20. He also holds the record for being the World Cup's youngest player to tally a hat-trick.
21. Pele was the first soccer player ever to compete in a World Cup final game.
22. He was chosen to serve as the Honorary President of the New York Cosmos in 2010. In recognition of his "major contribution to humanitarian and environmental concerns, as well as his sports successes," he received an honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh in 2012.
23. He was chosen in 1992 to serve as a UN ambassador for ecology and the environment following a very successful soccer career.
24. He was chosen to serve as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 1995.
25. On July 18, 1971, in Rio de Janeiro, Pele played his final international game against Yugoslavia. Regarding his club years, the 1974 season was his 19th and final one with Santos before he decided to stop playing.
26. He left his semi-retirement in 1976 after agreeing to a deal with the New York Cosmos. In his last season with the team, he helped the team win the NASL championship in 1977.
27. Pele had a great deal of suffering at the 1966 World Cup as a result of an injury caused by the Bulgarians' constant fouling. Brazil lost in the opening round of the World Cup as a result.
28. At the Maracana Stadium in 1969, he scored his 1,000th goal against Vasco da Gama on a penalty shot.
29. The Copa Libertadores was successfully defended by Santos in 1963, repeating their triumph from the year before. The club won the Rio-Sao Paulo competition, Intercontinental Cup, and Taça Brasil, while not being able to reclaim the Paulista championship.
30. His streak of success came to an abrupt end when Santos failed to defend their Paulista championship in 1959, but it resumed in full force in 1960 thanks to his outstanding on-field performances, which enabled Santos to win the championship back. He was the club's leading scorer, and the team won the Taça Brasil. These victories enabled Santos to compete in the Copa Libertadores, South America's best club football competition.
31. The year 1958 had several achievements. With 58 goals, a statistic that has yet to be repeated, he not only contributed to Santos' victory in the Campeonato Paulista, the top-flight professional football league in Brazil, but he was also a member of the Brazilian squad that won the World Cup.
32. Pele was brought to Santos by football legend de Brito, who was convinced of his extraordinary skill. There, he joined the professional team Santos FC. In September 1956, Pele played his debut game as a professional after signing a deal in June. He defeated Corinthians Santo Andre in the game and scored his first goal as a professional.
33. Being impoverished, he began working odd jobs as a young boy to supplement his family's income. He played for several amateur teams as a youngster and learned the game from his father.

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First retirement

The causes of Pele's retirement are still a mystery today. Did it originate from a conflict between Joao Havelange, the then-president of Brazil's executive branch? Later, Pele would give political justifications for his opposition to the military coup in his nation. The truth of Pele's opposition to the dictatorship and his relationships with politicians are still up for debate.

His playing career was continued by the striker in the Brazilian division. It's uncertain exactly how many games and goals he managed for Santos. However, according to the records, he has 1,088 goals throughout 1,114 games. When he scored his 1,000th goal is another thing that is still unknown. In a game against Vasco da Gama, he was claimed to have scored it with a penalty, and on November 19, 1969, the entire nation of Brazil celebrated this triumph. The church bells themselves rung. Later analysis, however, indicated that this was actually his 1,002nd goal.

In 1974, Pele ended his football career, if only briefly. However, he accepted a deal with the New York Cosmos in the then-obscure North American Soccer League a year later. The cause? He needed the money since a buddy had embezzled all of his possessions. Pele received millions of dollars in salary each year in New York, which was the biggest contractual sum at the time. Pele, though, did more than just benefit financially; he also helped establish soccer in the US. Pele and Franz Beckenbauer, the captain of West Germany who won the 1974 World Cup, were instrumental in promoting the game in the United States. After helping the Cosmos win the Soccer Bowl in 1977, Pele put his boots away for good.

Even now, along with late Argentina's Diego Maradona and the recently crowned World Cup victor Lionel Messi, Pele is regarded as the best all-around offensive player in the annals of football. The Brazilian number 10 was strong in the air and had two decent feet. Above all else, he was renowned for his uncanny ability to anticipate opponents' moves. He was able to play the appropriate pass or take the right shot at the ideal moment because he realized this.