On December 29, 2022 Pelé, a Brazilian soccer superstar, passed away, ending an era of soccer that many will remember with love and admiration.

Pelé created a name for himself during the World Cup final in 1970. He was born in Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Brazil in 1940. Later, he would overcome poverty using the sport that he loved as a tool. His claim to fame was a game winning pass to Brazil’s captain, Carlos Alberto. The pass secured their victory over Italy, thus making Pelé the only player in World Cup history to win three tournaments. While the pass was not the sole reason for Pele’s fame, it struck a match for people to see just how beautiful the sport of soccer really was. 

According to an article in “The Conversation,” he started his professional career at Santos Football Club, playing in 636 matches and scoring over 618 goals before leaving in 1974. After one year of playing for Santos FC, Pelé would move on to play for the Brazilian National Team at the age of 16. He later would go on to help Brazil win the World Cup in 1958, 1962, and 1970. Coming out of retirement in 1975, Pelé would travel to the United States to play for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League. 

Unbeknownst to some, once Pelé turned 18 he was required to serve in the Sixth Motorized Artillery Group for the Brazilian military. Following his military service and soccer career he would come to be a pioneer for African- American inclusion, being the first African-American male to be on the cover of  “Life Magazine.” After his final retirement, Pelé would serve as a FIFA ambassador against racism promoting inclusion throughout the organization. 

Without the involvement of Pelé Brazil nor the worldwide sport of soccer would be what it is today. 

Images by Google