Pelé

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento into a poor family in Tres Coracoes, Brazil, he was nicknamed "Pelé" by his childhood friends. His exceptional talent was identified at age 11 by Waldemar de Brito, which paved the way for his professional debut with Santos FC in 1956. During his tenure, Santos secured nine championships between 1958 and 1969, with Pelé consistently leading as the top scorer. He earned global recognition and was known by various epithets, including "The Black Pearl" and "The King." His career total of 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, including friendlies, is recognized as a Guinness World Record, and he maintained his peak performance for an impressive 18 years. His influence extended beyond the field, notably when a 48-hour ceasefire was declared in Nigeria in 1967 for him to play an exhibition match. Pelé concluded his World Cup career in 1970 and retired from Santos FC after the 1974 season. Facing financial difficulties, he returned to play for the New York Cosmos from 1975 to 1977. Beyond his playing career, Pelé served as Brazil's Minister of Sports in 1994 and engaged in various business ventures, including representing Warner and owning a restaurant. His personal life included three marriages: to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi, Assíria Lemos Seixas, and Marcia Aoki, and he was a father to seven children, including twins born via in vitro fertilization. Pelé passed away on December 29, 2022, at the age of 82, in Sao Paulo, due to multiple organ failure resulting from colon cancer.