Life story
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known throughout the world by his nickname Pelé, was born on 23 October 1940 in Brazil. From modest beginnings he would rise to become one of the most celebrated athletes his country and the world had ever known.
Pelé was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the twentieth century, and his 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, including exhibition matches, are recognised as a Guinness World Record.
His honours reflected his standing across generations. In 1999 he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and included in Time's list of the hundred most important people of the twentieth century. In 2000 he was voted World Player of the Century by the IFFHS and shared the FIFA Player of the Century award with Diego Maradona.
Pelé died on 29 December 2022 in the Morumbi district of São Paulo. He rests at the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica in Santos, remembered as a footballer whose joy and brilliance carried the game to every corner of the world.
Životopisné údaje z verejných zdrojov. Portrét: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).
Constellation of Life
Important milestones that shaped their journey.