Pelé Is Born

Setting the scene

Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born on October 23, 1940, in Três Corações, Brazil, nicknamed Pelé after mispronouncing his favorite goalkeeper Bilé. He grew up poor, playing with a sock stuffed with rags as a ball.

What happened

He joined Santos FC as a teenager and debuted for Brazil's national team at 16 in 1956. Pelé won FIFA World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970, scoring more than 1,000 career goals by his own count including friendlies.

Why it still matters

He boosted soccer's global profile in the United States with the New York Cosmos in the 1970s. Memorable detail: in the 1958 World Cup final at 17, Pelé scored twice in Brazil's 5–2 victory over Sweden, weeping on a teammate's shoulder afterward—the youngest scorer in a final until Kylian Mbappé in 2018.

Background

He won three World Cups with Brazil.