Soccer :: How Did Pele Become the King of Football? A Legend's Story

Hello,
 
Today's post is about Pele, the man many consider the greatest legend in the history of soccer.
 
Anyone who has even a passing interest in the sport has heard the name Pele. He is often called "the King of Football" or simply "the greatest of all time."
 
But how much do we actually know about the records he set, and why he's regarded as such a special player?
 
Did a 17-year-old really score a goal on soccer's biggest stage?
 
Let's walk through Pele's life, career, and the records he left behind.
 

 

Who Was Pele?

 
His birth name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, and he was born in 1940 in the small Brazilian town of Tres Coracoes.
 
He grew up in a family with limited means and, according to well-known accounts, sharpened his skills playing barefoot as a child.
 
At just 15 years old, he signed with the professional club Santos, marking the true start of his career.
 
He would go on to spend nearly two decades at Santos, becoming the club's greatest player in history, and continued serving as a football ambassador long after retiring.
 

 

Three World Cup Titles and a Record for the Ages

 
Pele remains the only player on record to win the FIFA World Cup three times, in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
 
At the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, he made the squad at just 17 years old and scored against Wales in the quarterfinal, becoming the youngest goalscorer in World Cup history at 17 years and 239 days.
 
He followed that with a hat-trick against France in the semifinal, helping Brazil reach the final, where the team claimed its first-ever World Cup title.
 
At the 1962 World Cup in Chile, an injury limited his playing time, but he was still part of Brazil's second championship-winning squad.
 
At the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, he was a key member of the Brazil side often described as the greatest team ever assembled, lifting his third World Cup trophy.
 

 

Records at Santos and His Legacy in Football

 
Pele is reported to have played 656 competitive matches for Santos, scoring 643 goals, while helping the club win six Brazilian league titles and two Copa Libertadores trophies.
 
Including unofficial matches such as friendlies and exhibition tours, figures of 1,281 goals in 1,363 games are often cited, though these totals are separate from his official competitive record and worth noting as such.
 
Pele was beloved not only for his skill but for the way he approached the game. The phrase "the beautiful game" is frequently used to describe his style of play, which was often praised as artistic.
 
After retiring, he remained active in public life, serving as Brazil's Minister of Sport and as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, extending his influence well beyond the pitch.
 
He passed away in December 2022 at the age of 82 in Sao Paulo, prompting fans around the world to reflect once again on his legacy.