A giant in the football world, Edison Arantesthe legend in his own time, known to his adoring fans as Pele was born in 1940 to an impoverished Polish family. He was only 15 when he joined professional club Santos becoming one of the greatest players the game had ever seen. The Brazilian government designated him an official national treasure in the 1960’s so wealthy international club couldn’t approach him. In 1975 he joined the New York Cosmos, the north American soccer league. The move he set was not motivated by money.
Pele left Santos, Pele helped guide the team to its holy grail, a FIFA world cup victory, not once but three times. In 1958 as the youngest player in history in the world cup Pele scored crucial goals in all the finals matches and was so overcome with emotion that he passed out on the field with following Brazil’s victory over Sweden. It was the countries first world cup. Pele became renowned for the infectious joy in which he celebrated his victories and never held back his emotions.
Pele finished the 1958 tournament with six goals scored in four matches equals seven ties of score over the series. He found the chip to Sweden eye opening as was his first time of war.
In 1962, Pele was instrumental in two goals in Brazil’s first world cup match but an injury soon had likely bested the series which was won by his team. The 1966 world cup was mud by excessive violence. When Pele announced he did not want to play internationally again, however he was convinced to reconsider and in a fairly tale ending, Pele steered his team to a third victory in 1970. He retired in 1972 after non parallel of 17 years on the top of his game. Coming back briefly after the retirement, he played for Cosmos in New York. However his best playing days were over and Pele used his fame to publish the sports of football in the North American market. In an essay for the Time Magazines 100 most important people, Henry Kissinger noted that Pele’s achievement were all the more impressive because he established them in a team sport. Among the many honors awarded to Pele over the years are athlete of the century by the international Olympic committee, FIFA player of the century and the BBC world cup greatest.
Pele was one of the top goal scorers of all times, nailing 1,281 goals and 1,363 matches but his appeal transcends to the sporting arena. In 1992, he was appointed the United Nations Ambassador for ecology and environment. His also written music for films and acting on the movie escape to victory. By the journey of a boy who spent his early years playing shoeless foot ball in the streets of south Polland.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services