PELE

Date Of Birth : 23 October 1940
Position : Forward
Nation : Brazil
Height : 173 cm
Major Club : Santos
Caps : 92 Games (77 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 707 Goals/ 763 Games
World Cup Participation : 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 (14 Games with 12 goals)
Club Honours : 10 Times Brazil State Championships
5 Times Brazil National Championships
2 Times Copa Libertadores Cup (1962, 1963)
2 Times Intercontinental Cup (1962, 1963)
International Honours : 3 Times World Cup Champions (1958, 1962, 1966)
Individual Achievement : 11 Times Brazil State Championship Top Scorer
1958 FIFA World Cup Silver Ball
1970 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball
2 Times FIFA World Cup All Star Team (1958, 1970)
1970 BBC Sport Oversea Personality of The Year
1973 South American Footballer of The Year
1981 L’ Equipe Athlete of The Century
1994 France Football World Cup Best Player of All-Time
1994 FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
1997 Knight Commander of British Empire
1998 FIFA World Team of The Century
1999 Olympic Committee Athlete of The Century
1999 Reuters Athlete of The Century
1999 UNICEF Footballer Player of The Century
1999 France Football’s Football Player of The Century
1999 South American Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS Brazil Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS World Player of The Century
1999 World Soccer Greatest Player of The Century
2000 FIFA Player of The Century
2002 FIFA Dream Team
2005 BBC Sport Personality of The Year Lifetime Achievement Awards
Brazil All-Time Top Scorer
Brazil Football Museum Hall of Fame

“The King of Football” Edson Arantesdo Nascimento “ Pele” is widely regarded as the greatest footballer in history of the game. Pelé began playing for Santos at 15 and his national team at 16, and won his first World Cup at 17. Despite numerous offers from European clubs, the economic conditions and Brazilian football regulations at the time benefited Santos, thus enabling them to keep him for almost two decades. Pelé played as an inside forward, striker, and what later became known as the playmaker position. Pelé's technique and natural athleticism have been universally praised and during his playing years he was renowned for his excellent dribbling and passing, his pace, powerful shot, exceptional heading ability, and prolific goalscoring. His explosive first step and feinting abilities gave defender nightmares, and his football imagination was equal to his impressive finishing skills. He is the all-time leading scorer of Brazil and is the only footballer to be a part of three World Cup-winning teams. In 1962 he was on the Brazilian squad at the start of the World Cup but because of an injury suffered in the second match, he wasn't able to play the remainder of the tournament. In 2007 FIFA announced that he would be awarded the 1962 medal retroactively. His career goals total of 1,280 in 1,324 games is secondly all-time recod to Arthur Friedenriech.