The name Pele might be strange to those within the age brackets of 16 -30 years if not conversant with the history of World Cup and Football League.
However, to the Oldies, the name Pele is a reminder of greater footballing of yesterdays and the great Star involved.
Pele was a household name in the game of the leather for many decades. He ruled the national and world soccer scene like a colossus in his lifetime.
Pele, so he was called, was born on October 23,1940 in Brazil. This Brazilian soccer star became a national and worldwide phenomenon in his native country.
His astute soccer skills, charming smiles and his dogged belief in transformative power of the soccer game he so much cherished, made him a transcendental world athlete.
Pele , with other name of Edson Arantes –do-Nascimento, died December 20, 2022 after a prolonged ailment.
The Brazilian football player, was probably in his time , the most famous and possibly the best paid athlete in the world. He was among the Brazilian national teams that won three world cup championships in 1958, 1996 and 1970.
Pele played for a minor league Club at Banru , Sao Paulo State, having been rejected by major Club teams in the City of Sao Paulo.
In 1955, however, he joined the Santos’ Football Club, with Pele at the inside left forward, and won nine Sao Paulo league Championships. In 1962 and 1963 both the Libertadores Cup and the International Club Cup.
Pele , sometimes called ‘’Perola Negra’’(‘’Bllack Pearl’’), he became a Brazilian national hero. He combined kicking shrewdness and accuracy wih a tremendous ability with his body movement to anticipate other players moves.
Pele was declared a National Treasure after the world cup in 1958 by the Brazilian government in order to ward off a large offer from European Clubs and ensure hat he would remain in Brazil.
On November 19, 1969, in his 909th first Class match , he scored his 1000th goal.
At age 16, Pele made his International debut in 1957 and the following played his first game in the world cup finals in Sweden.
The Brazilian Manager was initially hesitant to field his young star –Pele. But surprisingly, when Pele finally got to the pitch , he displayed exceptional skills with immediate impact and got a shot to the post.
He had a hat trick in the semifinal against France and two goals in the championship game, where Brazil defeated Sweden 5-2.
During the 1962 World Cup finals, Pele tore a thigh muscle in the second match and had to sit out the remainder of the tournament . Brazil went on to claim its second world cup title.
Rough play and injuries turned the 1966 World Cup into a disaster for both Brazil and Pele as the team went out in the first round, he thought retiring from World Cup play .
When he returned in 1970 for one more World cup tournament, he teamed up young Stars Jairzinho and Rivelino to claim Brazil’s third title and permanent ownership of the Jules Rimet Trophy.
Pele completed his World Cup career, having scored 12 goals in 14 games.
Pele’s electrifying play and affinity for spectacular goals made him a Star he world round.
His team Santos toured internationally in order to take full advantage of his popularity in the football family.
In 1967, Pele and his team came to Nigeria, where a 48-hour cease-fire in the Nation’s Civil War was called to allow Nigerians to watch the great match.
Pele in the mood of play
In 1974 Pele announced his retirement but in 1975 agreed to a three-year $7million contract which the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League and to promote the game in the United States.
He retired after leading the Cosmos to the League Championship in 1977.
Pele had many Awards , among which are:
- Recipient of International Peace Award in 1978
- He was named Athlete of the Century by the French Sports publication L’Equipe in 1980
- Received same honour in 1999 from the International Olympic Committee
In 2014,the Pele Museum was opened in Santos , Brazil.
As a plus for Pele in his chosen career in Sports, he published several best -selling autobiographies and starred in several successful documentaries and semi-documentary files.
Pele also composed several musical pieces , including Soundtrack for the film –Pele -1977
May his soul rest in peace as his soccer spirits lingers in the minds of his fans. Good night Pele , the man with the golden boot.