Pele
Edson Arantes do Nascimento
Brazil
1940-
Let's start with Pele's individual accalaides; He holds the world record for goals in a career 1281 in
1363 matches that is an amazing record one which I don't think will be broken very quickly. He is the top Brazilian goalscorer of all time and he has been voted the Athlete of the Century by the IOC in 1999. Pele played for Santos which was his first club winning them 11 Sao Paulo state championships. Pele becoming top goalscorer each year that trophy was put in Santos' cabinet. With him Santos also won an amazing 6 Brazilian Cups. They also won 2 Copa Liberatodoras (South American Champions League) and 2 World Club Championships. Pele first burst onto the International scene when Brazil won the World Cup in 1958. This World Cup was lit up by Pele and his Brazilian team in this competition they stamped their authority on world football taking over from Puskas' Hungarian side of 1954. The 19 year old Pele took Brazil too the Final where they beat the hosts Sweden. The next year in 1959 Brazil were Runners Up in the Copa America with Pele taking 9 goals and the top goalscorer award for the tournament In the 1962 World Cup Pele was injured in the 1st round and Garrincha took the reigns. One intresting fact about the two is that with them both Brazil never lost a match. They won in 62' but in 1966 in England Garrincha Pele's partner in crime was injured. This was the last time Pele and Garrincha were to play together and Brazil crashed out in the 1st round. Brazil also won in 1970 playing England in the group stage where a brilliant duel between Gordon Banks (England's Keeper) and Pele ensued. Pele bowed out of International football with an amazing goals to game record 92 caps and 97 goals. But after retiring from Santos in 1974 Pele lost his fortune and signed for New York Cosmos in 1975 for $4,500,000. Here he played for 2 years steering them to a USA championship and finally bowed out in 1975 in a game between Santos and Cosmos where he played 1 half for each. Pele often called the greatest player in the world has the overhead kick named after him and is Brazil's Sports Minister he still harbours dreams of being President and once even got a 2 day truce in a war between Biafra and Nigeria.
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