Pelé

Pelé

Pelé (Edison Arantes do Nascimento)-Forward
Birthdate: October 23, 1940
Place of Birth: Trés Coracões, Brazil

Known as the master of the “bicycle kick”, Pelé is the name of the greatest soccer player of all time. He is a world ambassador of peace and considered to be a beloved national treasure to his home country of Brazil.

Pelé’s legendary accomplishments in the soccer world go back to the 1950’s where in 1956, he began his career playing for the Brazilian soccer club Santos F.C.

Soon Pelé would win his first World Cup for The Brazilian National Team in 1958.

Pelé went on to win 2 more world cups with Brazil in 1962 and 1970. The World Cup victory Pelé is most proud of his victory over Italy in the 1970 World Cup where he scored the winning goal with his head. This was a proud accomplishment for Pelé because his father was a former soccer player who won five soccer games by using his head. Pelé was hoping to surpass it.

Pelé was heavily scouted by European teams, but Brazil made him an actual national treasurer so European teams could not legally take him as a player.

Born as Edson Arnates do Nascimneto named after Thomas Edison,. his parents dropped the “I” and named him Edson. There was a mistake made with the birth certificate and the “I’ was not removed, so his birth certificate reads Edison.

Pelé played professionally in Brazil for Santos F.C., from 1956-1974. Pelé retired in 1974, only to return in 1974, to play for a professional team in The United States called The New York Cosmos of The North American Soccer League.

The last game he played for the Cosmos was an exhibition game against his old Brazilian soccer club Santos F.C.

Pelé’s statics as a player includes a remarkable 1,280 goals in 1,360 games scored in 93 full international games.

Pelé statistics with Santos F.C includes:
1959- 127 Goals
1961- 110 Goals
1965- 101 Goals
Two World Club Championships with Santos F.C.

Pelé retired in 1977, only to pursue personal business ventures with him opening a sports markerting firm and a coffee company

1978- Awarded The International Peace award.
1980- Named athlete of the Century.
1993- Inducted into The National Soccer Hall of Fame.
2000- Named second to Muhammad Ali as “Sportsman of the Century.”

Pelé is a spokesman for many organizations and has been a long time contributor of children’s charities especially through UNICEF.

Now Pelé is a delegate for Brazil’s bid to be in the 2016 Summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro.



Pelé 1970 World Cup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQtf-xKNQRI&feature=related