Today marks 81 years since the birth of Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento), the living legend of world football and Brazilian superstar.
According to Idman.Biz, Pele scored 1,279 goals during his football career, earning a place in the Guinness World Records. He is the first and only player to win the FIFA World Cup three times with the Brazilian national team. Pele joined the national team at just 15 and scored a hat-trick against France in the 1958 World Cup semifinals at the age of 17.
Spending the majority of his club career at Santos FC, he won two Copa Libertadores titles along with numerous national championships. In 1975, he played for the New York Cosmos in the United States, helping boost the popularity of football in the country.
Named FIFA’s Player of the 20th Century and awarded the “Century Player” honor alongside Diego Maradona, Pele’s style, speed, and technique have served as an inspiration for countless generations, significantly influencing the development of world football.
It is worth noting that Pele passed away on December 29, 2022.
