Football legend Pele died on December 29, 2022 due to colon cancer. Nicknamed the 'Black Pearl', Pele is remembered on the second anniversary of his death.
Brazilian Pele, one of the legendary names of the football world, is commemorated on the second year of his death. Pele, who was treated for colon cancer for a long time and died on December 29, 2022, left behind a career full of success. According to many sports fans, Pele, the best footballer in the world, passed away as one of the names that left his mark on the football world with 3 World Cups, club and individual achievements he fit into his career with the Brazilian National Team. The statue of Pele, who scored over 1000 goals for Santos, which he wore for 19 years in his country before ending his career with the New York Cosmos team of the USA, was erected in front of the Maracana Stadium, the birthplace of football for Brazilians.
A soccer legend from poverty
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, full name Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was born on October 23, 1940 in Tres Coraçoes, Brazil, to a father named Dondinho, also a footballer, and a mother named Celeste Arantes.
The eldest child of a poor family with two children, the legendary Brazilian footballer was nicknamed “Pele” by his schoolmates after the Vasco da Gamal player Bile, whom he looked up to at the time.
Pele, who worked as a waiter in cafes at a young age and did not even own a soccer ball until a certain age, took his first step into the green fields with Bauru Athletic Club and won the Sao Paulo Junior State Championship 3 times in a row in 1954-1956.
Taken to Santos Club for a trial by his youth team coach Waldemar de Brito, Pele's successful career began in 1956 when he signed his first professional contract there.
Successful Santos years
Pele, who became the top scorer in his first year at Santos when he was only 16 years old, did not leave his team despite transfer offers from Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United because the Brazilian government, which described him as a “national treasure”, did not allow his transfer. During his 19 years with the team, Pele won 10 state and 6 league titles, two Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup.
National team career
Pele gave the Brazilian National Team, for which he started to play from a young age, its golden age. Making his debut against Argentina at the Maracana Stadium in 1957 at the age of 16 years and 9 months, the young Pele scored the only goal for his team in a 2-1 loss and became the youngest player to score a goal at the national team level at that time. Pele, who won three championships with the “Sambacas” in the World Cups in Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and Mexico 1970, became the only player to lift three trophies in the organization. Pele, nicknamed “Black Pearl”, who played 92 times with the Brazilian National Team between 1957-1971, scored 77 goals.
He said goodbye to soccer in the USA
After leaving Santos, Pele continued his football career in the Americas. The legendary Brazilian player, who played for the US league team New York Cosmos between 1975-1977, won the league championship in his last year. After his football career, Pele served as the minister of sports in his country, the football ambassador of FIFA and Santos, the honorary president of the New York Cosmos, and the goodwill ambassador of the United Nations and UNESCO.
Personal achievements
Pele was top scorer 3 times in the Brazilian league, 11 times in the state league and once each in the Copa Libertadores and Copa America.
A member of the World Cup Dream Team, Pele won the “best young player” award at the 1952 FIFA World Cup, the “silver ball” award at the 1958 FIFA World Cup, and was awarded the FIFA Golden Ball Honor Award in 2013.
Pele was also named footballer and athlete of the century by FIFA, the International Olympic Committee, UNICEF and TIME magazine. The legendary footballer, who was nicknamed “Black Pearl”, “King of Football”, “King Pele”, became one of the players who exceeded the thousand goal threshold. Pele entered the Guinness Book of World Records with 1279 goals in his 1363-match career.
