Pelé

1940 – 2022 · died at about 82^[1][2]

Sports

Fun Facts About Pelé

• Pelé was named after the American inventor Thomas Edison. His parents dropped the "i" to make it Edson, but an error on his birth certificate made it "Edison".^[1][3][4]
• Pelé said his famous nickname probably came from mispronouncing the name of his favorite player, Bilé, a goalkeeper.^[1]
• As a boy, Pelé could not afford a real ball and usually played with a grapefruit or a sock stuffed with newspaper. He earned money as a server in tea shops.^[1]
• In 1961, Brazil's government declared Pelé an "official national treasure" to stop him from being transferred to a club abroad.^[1]
• A famous story says both sides of the Nigerian Civil War agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire to watch Pelé play, but Pelé himself was unsure, and no contemporary reports have been found.^[1]
• Pelé was in Lagos, Nigeria, during a 1976 coup attempt. When the airport reopened, he left the country disguised as a pilot.^[1]
• Pelé was alive at the same time as Rabindranath Tagore — their lives overlapped for 1 year (1940–1941).^[1][2][5][6]
• Pelé shares a birthday with Sarah Bernhardt: both were born on October 23.^[1][2][7][8]

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known by his nickname Pelé, was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, he was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which includes friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record. In 1999, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century, alongside Diego Maradona.^[1]

Contemporaries

James Watson

82 yr overlap

Noam Chomsky

82 yr overlap

Wole Soyinka

82 yr overlap

Jane Goodall

82 yr overlap

Dalai Lama

82 yr overlap

Woody Allen

82 yr overlap

Pope Francis

82 yr overlap

Francis Ford Coppola

82 yr overlap

Tu Youyou

82 yr overlap

Yoko Ono

82 yr overlap

Jack Nicholson

82 yr overlap

Elizabeth II

82 yr overlap

Their World

Questions About Pelé

When was Pelé born?

Pelé was born on October 23, 1940, and died on December 29, 2022.

How old was Pelé at death?

Pelé was born on October 23, 1940, and died on December 29, 2022, at age 82.

What was Pelé known for?

Pelé was known for: The King of Football, 3 World Cups. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known by his nickname Pelé, was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, he was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which includes friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record. In 1999, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. In 2000, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century, alongside Diego Maradona.

Who was alive at the same time as Pelé?

Pelé's closest contemporary was James Watson. Their lives overlapped for 82 years.