Pelé

Better known to the world as Pelé, Edson Arantes do Nascimento,was born in a small village in Brazil called Tres Coracoes on October23rd 1940. Following in his father Joao Ramos do Nascimento footsteps who was also a professional player, at the age of 11 Pele was discovered by a former Brazilian World Cup player named Waldermir de Brito. At the age of 15 while playing for De Britos club, De Brito took Pele to try out for a professional team called Santos Futebol Clube (SFC). De Brito told the director that "This boy will be the greatest soccer in the world." At the age of 15 in his first game on Sept 7 1956 Pele scored his first goal in a 7-1 Santos victory. In Pele's first league game for Santos, Pele scored four goals.

The following season Pele was a regular starter and was the Sao Paulo league leading scorer with 32 goals. On July 7th 1957 Pele not yet sixteen, played his first game for the Brazilian national team in which he scored one of two goals in a Brazil victory over Argentina. Pele had arrived,and would go on to play in four World Cups. (Sweden 1958,Chile 1962, England 1966, and Mexico1970). In 14 World Cup matches he scord 12 goals.

In four World Cups Pele brought home three World Cup Championships, during this time, Pele was titled the King and the quality of soccer was based on the Brazilian standard. In the late 1960's while playing for Santos, in a few friendly matches in Nigeria, the on going civil war stopped for the duration of his visit.

Pele's career ended in the USA where he played for the New York Cosmos. "I pray I live to see a fantastic site such as a player to equal or pass the ability of Pele. Pele the greatest soccer player ever."