Pele, football’s G.O.A.T

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Legendary football player Pele, has passed away, leaving behind a legacy that firmly cements his position as the Greatest ofAll Time of football. Much like other football players of the 1940s, he had humble beginnings playing football with a grapefruit and a sock stuffed with crumpled newspaper.

At the age of 16, he secured a spot in the Brazilian national team after being the top goal-scorer in the Brazilian league, playing for Santos FC. At age 17, at the 1958 World Cup, Pele announced his legendary abilities to the world after scoring 6 goals, including two in the final, to become the youngest goal scorer in World Cup final history, and propelling Brazil to its first World Cup win. The rest of his career was equally impressive, and he was jointly awarded the Player of the Century award with Diego Maradona, by FIFA in 2000. He remains the only player to win three World Cups in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and Brazil’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Pele’s influence surpassed the football field, by contributing to Brazil’s recognition internationally, and aiding the globalization of football. As a player for Santos, he played matches across 5 continents, to become the first truly global football icon. Brazil too, recognized him as a national treasure, such that he would never be able to be transferred out of the nation.

However, he came under criticism for not speaking out against the dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985. Pele finally ended his career playing for US club New York Cosmos, which helped popularized the game in the nation. Nicknamed O Rei (The King), Pele’s legacy is one to be revered for all time.