Soccer has it’s history of all-time greats. In fútbol, as they call it, there is a reason why events such as the World Cup are admired by sports fans worldwide. One iconic player who stepped foot onto the soccer field was none other than the late-great Pelé.
Pelé’s Early Life
According to Biography.com, João Ramos, better known as “Dondinho,” struggled to earn a living as a soccer player, and Pelé grew up in poverty. Regardless, Pelé developed a rudimentary talent for soccer by kicking a rolled-up sock stuffed with rags around the streets of Bauru. When growing older, he joined a youth squad coached by Waldemar de Brito, who was a former member of the Brazilian national soccer team. The coach had convinced Pelé’s family to let the budding phenom leave home and try out for the club at the age of 15.
Pelé’s Historic Career in Soccer
Pele’s biggest feat in the Soccer world is that he is the only player to win three World Cups in total. This record still reigns to this day. According to Britannica.com, after playing for a minor league club at Bauru, Sao Paulo state, Pele was denied by major club teams in the city of the same name. In 1956, he joined the Santos Football Club, where Pele won nine Sao Paulo league championships and, in 1962-63, both the Libertadores Cup and the Intercontinental Club Cup.
According to Britannica.com, Pele combined kicking power and accuracy with an amazing ability to anticipate other players’ moves. After the 1958 World Cup, Pele was declared a national treasure by the Brazilian gov’t to decline large offers from European clubs and make sure that he would stay in Brazil. One fun fact, he scored his 1,000th goal in his 909th first-class match in late 1969. The Pelé Kick is one of his famous moves for his role in scoring goals.
Fast forward to 1974, Pele announced his retirement, but agreed to a three-year $7 million contract with the New York Cosmos of the U.S. Soccer League and to promote the game in the same country. According to Britannica.com, he retired after leading the Cosmos to the league championship in 1977.
The Legacy Pele leaves behind
Even though Pele is no longer with us, he leaves a legacy behind the fútbol field. According to Biography.com, retirement did little to diminish the public profile of Pelé, who remained active in many professional arenas. In 1978, UNICEF awarded him the International Peace Award for his work with UNICEF. Pele also served as Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport and United Nations ambassador for ecology and the environment.
According to Biography.com, FIFA named Pelé a “Co-Player of the Century” in 1999, along with Argentine Diego Maradona. For many soccer fans, his accolades will never be equaled, and virtually all athletes who partake in this sport are measured against the Brazilian who once made the world stop to watch his epic plays.
About The Author
Samuel has always loved sports. He has written for the Wingate Triangle at Wingate University. Rodriguez got a BS in Communications with a Sports Media Emphasis. He is also pursuing a Cybersecurity Operations Certificate at Fayetteville Technical Community College.
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