| Pele was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in | | | | and what later would be called the playmaker |
| October of 1940, and would become one of the | | | | position. His natural athleticism and technique were |
| most famous soccer players to ever play the game. | | | | world-renowned, and he was praised for his excellent |
| In his native Brazil, he is lauded as the greatest | | | | passing and dribbling, heading, pace and his |
| footballer of all time, since they call the sport by its | | | | ever-present goal scoring. |
| original name there. | | | | In 1977, Pele played in an exhibition match between |
| Pele grew up in poverty in Bauru, and earned money | | | | Santos and the Cosmos. It was played in front of a |
| working as a servant in tea shops. He could not | | | | sold-out Giants Stadium, and was seen on TV, on |
| afford a real ball, and practiced with a sock stuffed | | | | ABC's Wide World of Sports. At halftime, his number |
| with newspaper, or a grapefruit. | | | | was retired, and after the game he ran around the |
| In Brazil, Pele is a national hero. In addition to his | | | | field, an American flag in one hand and a Brazilian flag |
| accomplishments on the field, he has been declared | | | | in the other. |
| the football ambassador of the world by FIFA, which | | | | Pele is in an elite group of famous soccer players |
| is the governing body of international soccer. He has | | | | worldwide, and he was the only footballer to ever |
| also used his fame to speak up for improvement of | | | | win the World Cup with three different teams. Since |
| the conditions of the poor in our society. When he | | | | he retired in 1977, Pele has remained an ambassador |
| scored his 1000th goal, Pele dedicated it to the | | | | for the sport, and he has also taken on some |
| poorest children in Brazil. | | | | commercial ventures and acting roles. |
| Pele started playing for a local club at the age of 15, | | | | Though he was one of the all time famous soccer |
| and was on his national team by age 16. He won his | | | | players, Pele had some trying times off the field. He |
| first World Cup at the young age of 17. European | | | | married in 1966 and had three children with then-wife |
| clubs wanted a chance to sign him, but the Brazilian | | | | Rosemeri dos Reis Cholby, but they divorced in 1978. |
| football rules at that time helped Santos FC to keep | | | | He remarried in 1994 to Assiria Lemos Seixas. She |
| Pele signed for almost twenty years, until 1974. | | | | gave birth in 1996 to twins, conceived through |
| Pele played the positions of striker, inside forward, | | | | fertility treatments. |