

Since April 1994 Pelé has been married to psychologist and gospel singer Assíria Lemos Seixas. His first World Cup finals goal came against Wales in the 1958 quarter-final. Pele's header against Italy in the 1970 World Cup final was their 100th World Cup goal. Former Manchester City and England star Rodney Marsh once said of Pele: “Comparing Gascoigne to Pele is like comparing Rolf Harris to Rembrandt.” 30. The most headers Pele ever scored in a game was four. Pele's father once scored five headed goals in one game, a feat that Pele was never able to replicate. Hence, a classmate of his gave him the nickname Pele. He did not get the nickname Pele until he started school, where he used to pronounce the name of the local Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Bile as Pile.

His family gave him the nick-name "Dico".

England World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore on Pele: “The most complete player I've ever seen.” 27. He had the God-given gift of being able to play football, and that is why he is lucky." Maradona's response: “Who cares what Pele says? He belongs in a museum.” 26. In 2010, Pele said of the Argentinian: “He is not a good example for the youth. "How do you spell Pelé?" the Times of London once declared. Why? Organisers wanted her to do a better job than Pele, the previous year's flag waver, who got "distracted" and failed to notice Michael Schumacher crossing the finish line! 24. In March 2003, Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen was offered special intensive training in flag-waving in advance of the 32nd Brazilian Grand Prix. Pele once said: "A penalty is a cowardly way to score." 23. On August 1, 2010, Pelé was introduced as the Honorary President of a revived New York Cosmos. Noted English football writer Geoffrey Green once declared: “Di Stefano was manufactured on earth, Pele was made in heaven.” 21. Pele has helped raise millions of pounds for charitable causes including Great Ormond Street and Harlem Street Soccer. If the star is not well, the whole cast suffers." 19. It is like in the theatre, in a play, where there is a great star. Pele on the importance of football stars: "When football stars disappear, so do the teams, and that is a very curious phenomenon. He laughs off England's chances of winning the World Cup. Pele made a cameo appearance in the film Mike Bassett: England manager, in which he was interiewed by the broadcaster Martin Bashir. "Sometimes we had to take 25 or 30 shirts with us to a match - otherwise, we'd never have got out of the stadium alive." 17. "Pele was the main attraction," says Gordon Bradley, one of the club's coaches at the time. When Pele played for the New York ,so many of his opponents wanted to swap shirts with him that the club had to give each of their opponents a shirt after every match.

Pele said in 2006: "For 20 years they have asked me the same question, who is the greatest? Pele or Maradona? I reply that all you have to do is look at the facts - how many goals did he score with his right foot or with his head?" 16. In 1967, a 48-hour ceasefire was declared in Nigeria so that Federal and Rebel troops could watch Pele play on a visit to the war-torn nation. Pinheiro, the Brazilian ambassador to the United Nations, said: "Pele played football for 22 years, and in that time he did more to promote world friendship and fraternity than any other ambassador anywhere." 14. Pele is fifth on the all-time World Cup goalscorers list with 12 - and the second highest-placed Brazilian behind Ronaldo. At Santos, November 19 is known as 'Pele Day' to celebrate the anniversary of his 1,000th goal. Hundreds raced onto the pitch to mob the Brazilian star and it took over 30 minutes for the game to resume. On November 19, 1969, Pele scored his 1000th career goal. In 1997, Pele was given an honorary British Knighthood. He was voted athlete of the century by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1999. Pele was appointed as Minister of Sport in Brazil in 1995, serving until 1998. He also scored twice in the final against home side Sweden. At 17, Pele became the youngest ever winner of a World Cup. Waldemar de Brito, another great Brazilian forward, is credited with discovering Pele, taking him to Santos, and telling them then that he was going to be "the greatest football player in the world." 6. He scored four goals on his league debut in a match against FC Corinthians on September 7, 1956. Pele was signed by Santos when he was 15. Pele was named after American inventor Thomas Edison, his real name being Edson Arantes do Nascimiento.
#Positive impression about pele free#
Our guide to the best free bets UK tells you all need to know about the UK's best sign up offersģ.He won three World Cups, two World Club Championships and nine Sao Paulo State Championships. Pele scored a total of 1,283 first-class goals, including 77 for Brazil.
