Pele, the King of Soccer and the GOAT with Three World Cups.

If you are a football fan, then we know that you’re a fan of Pele. He is the king of football and the only footballer to win 3 World cups.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento – this is the original name of Pele. Pele is an icon for every football player in this world. And next to god for every Brazilian football fan or anyone who is a fan of Brazil.

Rags to Riches

Pelé was born on 23rd October 1940, in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Pele, apparently grew up in a very precarious financial conditions and lived in poverty in early days of childhood. The current football icon even had to earn money by working in tea shops as a servant to support his family “financially”. His father taught him the football. Due to his ongoing financial condition, Pele could not even get a proper football kit and had to play with damaged socks or shoes.

How it all started?

Pele apparently, started his football career by playing futsal. He played for a futsal team called Radium. He was a player in the first-ever futsal competition in his region. He won the first championship with his team.

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Pele always said that futsal helped him a lot in his career. Futsal presented different obstacles in front of him. Futsal made him think faster and helped him feel better on the spot.

In his teens, he started playing football by playing for teams like Sete de Setembro, Canto do Rio, São Paulinho, and Amériquinha. In 1956, he went to Santos, a city near Sao Paolo, to try his luck in the Santos FC club. The club’s coach was impressed by his skills and signed an official contract with him in June 1956. He made his debut in the senior team in September 1956 at 15. When the 1957 season started, Pelé was given a starting position in the first team and, at the age of 16, became the top scorer in the league.

With Ten months of playing as a professional footballer, he later made it into Brazil’s National Football Team. European clubs like Juventus, Manchester United and Real Madrid tried to sign him by offering huge deals after watching his talent in the 1958 and 1962 world cup.

Pele was an outstanding footballer, and his record speaks for itself. Pele brought three World Cups for his nation in 1958,1962, and 1970. In the 1970 world cup, Pele was the reason behind Brazil’s 53% of total goals, contributing as one more feather in the crown of the football icon Pele. The legend ended his international football career on 18th July 1971 in Rio de Janeiro, playing against Yugoslavia. In his career, he scored 757 goals.

His Records Speaks for itself

Pele is the Undefeatable king of football. He also has some unbeatable records, which are yet to be broken and accomplished by any current best footballers worldwide.

Some of his remarkable achievements are listed below:

FIFA player of the century in 2000.
In one of the FIFA World cups was the best young player in 1958.
Pele was also a winner of FIFA World cup golden ball in 1970.
He was recognized as the greatest player of the 20th century in World Soccer in 1999.
Pele was even recognized as the Athlete of the century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999.
Pele was also conferred with FIFA 100 Greatest Living Footballers in 2004.
Even the Brazilian Government declared Pele the National Treasure after the 1958 World Cup.

Final Thoughts

To be very honest, we should consider our generation very unlucky because we could not see this walking piece of art on the pitch scoring unimaginable goals. To be very honest, all successful individuals have the same story. Well, we are not asking you to be successful, but there is always something to learn from this successful individual.

Happy reading!