Edson Arantes do Nascimento (born 23 October 1940 – 29 December 2022), known as Pelé, was a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a forward. Regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and labelled "the greatest" by FIFA, he was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century. In 1999 he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century. His total of 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which included friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record.

Pelé began playing for Santos at age 15 and the Brazil national team at 16. During his international career, he won three FIFA World Cups: 1958, 1962 and 1970, the only player to do so. Pelé is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 92 games. At club level he is Santos' all-time top goalscorer with 643 goals from 659 games. In a golden era for Santos, he led the club to the 1962 and 1963 Copa Libertadores, and to the 1962 and 1963 Intercontinental Cup. Credited with connecting the phrase "The Beautiful Game" with football, Pelé's "electrifying play and penchant for spectacular goals" made him a star around the world, and his teams toured internationally in order to take full advantage of his popularity. During his playing days, Pelé was for a period the best-paid athlete in the world. Since retiring in 1977, Pelé has been a worldwide ambassador for football and has made many acting and commercial ventures. In 2010, he was named the Honorary President of the New York Cosmos.

Averaging almost a goal per game throughout his career, Pelé was adept at striking the ball with either foot in addition to anticipating his opponents' movements on the field. While predominantly a striker, he could also drop deep and take on a playmaking role, providing assists with his vision and passing ability, and he would also use his dribbling skills to go past opponents. In Brazil, he is hailed as a national hero for his accomplishments in football and for his outspoken support of policies that improve the social conditions of the poor. His emergence at the 1958 World Cup where he became the first black global sporting star was a source of inspiration. Throughout his career and in his retirement, Pelé received several individual and team awards for his performance in the field, his record-breaking achievements, and legacy in the sport.

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, dit Pelé, né le 23 octobre 1940 à Três Corações (Brésil, État du Minas Gerais), est un footballeur brésilien évoluant au poste d'attaquant et de meneur de jeu du milieu des années 1950 au milieu des années 1970. Il est également acteur, scénariste et producteur.

Figure majeure du football qui est considéré comme le plus grand joueur de l'histoire, il est le seul footballeur à avoir été champion du monde à trois reprises, en 1958, 1962 et 1970, avec la sélection brésilienne. Il compte également un palmarès exceptionnel avec les deux clubs professionnels qu'il a connus (Santos FC et New York Cosmos) dont la Coupe intercontinentale (1962 et 1963), la Copa Libertadores (1962 et 1963), le championnat des États-Unis (1977) et, à onze reprises, le championnat de São Paulo dans les années 1950 et 1960, mais également plusieurs récompenses individuelles comme le prix d'athlète du siècle par le CIO, joueur du XXe siècle par la FIFA et le ballon d'Or d'honneur le 13 janvier 2014. Il fait partie de l'équipe mondiale du XXe siècle.

Depuis sa retraite sportive, Pelé est l'ambassadeur pour l'ONU et l'UNESCO à l'Éducation, l'Écologie et l'Environnement. Il continue également à prêter son image à diverses entreprises et a occupé le poste de ministre des Sports du Brésil entre 1995 et 1998. Pour autant, il n'a pas quitté le monde du football puisqu'il a été l'ambassadeur international de la Coupe du monde de 2014.

En 2021, avec Mário Zagallo, il est le dernier survivant des joueurs brésiliens ayant disputé la finale de 1958.

Contenu soumis à la licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. Source : Article Pelé de Wikipédia en français.