Source: Football Speakers
What is the end goal of a football player? To win titles, break records, and inspire millions around the world to lace up their boots, no matter their personal situations. Where better to start in this article series than the man that did this first. Pelé, aside from his sizeable cabinet full of accolades, trophies and records, inspired a struggling country that had little to be proud of and carried it into modernity.
The footballing world that Pelé entered was one devoid of natural talent and flair. He left it vibrant and flowing as the highest goalscorer in world football - a title he still holds today. So this is a Certain Point of View; that 'King' Pelé is the greatest footballer of all time.
Pelé: The Santástico
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in 1940, Pelé joined a footballing family as his father, Dondinho, had been part of a successful Fluminese team. Pelé's upbringing, as he cites shining shoes to contribute to the family income, was far from the glamour you might think.
Pelé in his younger days with Santos. Source: FourFourTwo.
The stick that is often used to strike Pelé's chances of being considered the GOAT is his domestic game, having played for Sao Paulo side Santos for the duration of his career. In fact, this should be quite the opposite. The forward played the majority of his 1367 career matches for Santos, winning seven domestic titles during his time. His total of 1283 goals in this period is a Guinness record that remains unbroken to this day. I don't care what you say, scoring almost 1300 career goals is nothing short of ridiculous.
And, contrary to popular opinion, Pelé was playing with no scrubs in Brazil. Tostao, Rivellino, Carlos Alberto, Nilton Santos and Jairzinho are just some of the Brazilian legends around the league at that time, with Garrincha, Didi and Zagallo creating a Botafogo dynasty that rivalled Pelé's Santos. Brazil won three World Cups in four tournaments, and with the lack of player movement that existed throughout the 1960s, Pelé often found himself coming up against his fellow World Cup winners. There's a case to be made that his opposition was even greater than that available in Europe.
Pelé made the bicycle kick world famous as part of his attacking arsenal. Given the infancy of television, highlights of Pelé are difficult to find. Source: 55bructrax from YouTube.
But even if your argument were that his domestic achievement's were limited to Brazil only, you would still be wrong. Pelé's rise to the status of national treasure - he was even deemed as such in 1961 to avoid him transferring to a club abroad - prompted the travelling 'Santos Circus' to tour the globe. The hype around the 'King of Football' brought huge audiences to catch a glimpse of the world's first international sporting icon; this was the most accessible way to see the mythical figure that was Pelé.
One stint, between the end of May and beginning of July in 1959, saw Santos play 22 matches in eight countries across Europe, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Hamburg and Feyenoord. Aside from the durability required to feature this many times in just over a month, Pelé's class shone through as his goal record came against the world's best, not just Brazil's. His 1000th game for Santos, an incredible feat of durability, was played in Suriname against Transvaal S.V. - not even in Brazil! Yes, Santos were a great team, but don't get this confused, Pelé was Santos. The club became a "proverbial circus gate", with Pelé the "magic name that pulls the crowds" as it was described in his 2021 documentary.
Pelé featuring at a packed out Craven Cottage in a tour in England, 1973. Source: The Sportsman
The stresses and pressure of playing across the globe - an 18-month stretch saw him play in every inhabited continent but Africa - would have been tough for anyone, but to continue scoring and showing his brilliance in these exhibition matches is nothing short of remarkable. Pelé knew his role as a global icon, and managed this admirably. Yes, a number of his goals for Santos came in friendlies across the world, but does that not make him an even more impressive player to adapt to these conditions amidst constant jet-lag and fatigue? In short, Pelé won every domestic competition available to him, as the star act of Santos' travelling circus. He even won a Club World Cup, which leads nicely onto his most famous accomplishments, with the Green and Yellow.
Pelé: The Brazilian
Pelé won three World Cups during his playing career with Brazil, and was awarded a replica trophy for his success. Source: The Irish Times
The World Cup is football's biggest stage, with its largest audiences, greatest players, and highest expectations. There's no better way to judge a player than when the chips are down, and a nation's hopes rest on their star's shoulders. And this is where King Pelé excelled. Bursting on to the scene in Sweden's 1958 tournament, a 17-year-old Pelé scored six goals, all in the knockout stages to bring Brazil their first World Cup. This included an emphatic brace in the final, making Pelé the youngest ever Final goalscorer and the only teenager until Kylian Mbappé in 2018 - who was nearly two years older than Pelé by the way.
The Brazil side that won it's first World Cup in 1958, Pelé can be seen in the centre of the lower row. Source: AP.
Brazil's 'mongrel complex', coined to describe the people's self-damning tendencies, had been broken, and largely due to their teenage sensation. If World Cups are what great players are to be judged on, Pelé made a hell of a start. Despite being injured for the latter stages, Pelé's Brazil were also victorious in 1962, before a tantalising 1966 tournament in England came around.
Whilst it wasn't to be in England, Pelé's greatness was expressed in his opponents' tactics against him. It became common for national teams to mark the forward tightly, sometimes even using three players to limit the freedom he had on the pitch. With the leniency that came with 1960's refereeing, the Brazilian experienced "new levels of violence each game" as the Brazilian FA President described, with the national team having more injured players in the eight days of their group games than in eight years. Pelé was effectively kicked out of the tournament - the only blemish on his World Cup resumé.
Pelé was effectively removed from the 1966 World Cup due to Portugal's harsh tackling. Source: eljaygee82 from YouTube.
Immense pressure followed Brazil and Pelé in 1970, as it became known that it would be the latter's last World Cup. A tricky group game against holders England presented a difficult challenge, remembered for Gordon Banks' incredible save from a Pelé strike. Of course, though, it was the Brazilian who provided a calculated assist to Jairzinho in a 1-0 win. The rest of the tournament was a formality, as it "seemed like there were three of him [Pelé]" in a grudge match vs Uruguay, which led to a 5-2 final match up against Italy. Who else but Pelé would score the opening goal of the Final.
With such expectation, Pelé turned from teenage sensation to veteran leader in his four tournaments, guiding Brazil to three World Cup wins - the most of any player in history. Mario Zagallo, his fellow player in 1958 and manager in 1970, noted Pelé's evolution: "A kid in Sweden [1958 WC] gave signs of genius, and in Mexico [1970 WC] he fulfilled all that promise and closed the book with a golden key. And I had the privilege to see it all from up close." Despite these achievement's and kind words, Pelé's story with Brazil is deeper.
Pelé: The Symbol
"The 1970 World Cup was for the nation, not the sport." Pelé's comments on Mexico '70 encapsulate his responsibilities as a player, and as a Brazilian. Not only were his accomplishments on the pitch admirable, but his importance off of it is difficult to put into words.
In 1958, Pelé played for a country that felt sorry for itself. Brazil were little-known across the globe as Uruguay was South America's footballing powerhouse. Together with Santos' travelling circus, victory in Sweden '58 made Brazil a household name. It's biggest star, Pelé, became synonymous with this success and international reputation. Musician Gilberto Gil suggests Pelé "became a symbol of Brazil's emancipation", as the footballer single-handedly took the nation into the 20th Century. Even in his own opinion, Pelé's importance lay as a national icon, not just a great footballer. But, why not both?
In 1964, Brazil found itself amidst a military takeover, resulting in a US-backed dictatorship that would plague the country for 21 years. Through it all, the Brazilian public knew they had one man to rely on: Pelé. No matter how bad things got as repressive regulations swept the country, each Brazilian could rely on watching the King at the Maracana as a form of escape. This arena existed as a way to "let off steam" for many, as Pelé thrived in his role as Brazil's Mother Teresa. Described as "the most promising image we [Brazil] had of a poor black kid" by politician Benedita Da Silva, Pelé also represented what was possible for every child around the world, regardless of race. He personified Brazilian hope at a time where little was to be found. Greatness is not just attainable on the pitch, but is also determined by one's importance off of it.
Pelé posing with his own wax figure, as he remains important to this day. Source: AFP.
Whilst it may be sad, the regime exploited Pelé's likability and popularity in translating this to the dictatorship. In short, if Pelé was happy, Brazilians were too. Even their dictator, Emílio Médici, was often found at the Maracana in his off time, such was the power that could be gained by associating oneself with Brazil's most adored star. Yes, this is desperately tragic, but reveals just how important Pelé remained to the everyday Brazilian. Médici even made sure that Brazil's boss going into 1970, Joao Saldanha who threatened to leave Pelé out of the side and even made up a story that the forward was blind, was dismissed to make way for a more favourable manager to Pelé. For good or bad, Pelé's likability held the country on a knife edge - his importance is undeniable.
Pelé poses with the Jules Rimet trophy next to Brazil Dictator Emílio Médici in 1970. Source: Gazette Press.
Pelé: The Spectacle
If you want to defeat Pelé's case by targeting his lack of athleticism or suggesting he would not be able to adapt to today's football, you are missing the point. The King of football was a spectacle, not just a serial winner. To be invited to so many exhibition games across the world, you have to have an aura around you. And Pelé certainly had that.
Pelé signing autographs before his first match in England, against Sheffield Wednesday. Source: Thorpe/Rex Shutterstock.
Boy, did Santos know about it though. Pelé became an easy cash grab for a hierarchy looking to take advantage of their big star. Upon realising that a friendly in England against Plymouth Argyle might have attracted more fans than their pay packet might suggest, Santos requested a greater return of the gate receipts or they would refuse to take the pitch. Told they would "never play in this country again" by a Plymouth spokesman for such a shakedown, the Santos man simple shrugged, "there's plenty more countries". Such was the brilliance of Pelé; he could attract a prime time spot in any stadium across the globe. His marketability, whilst it was quite clearly exploited, further suggests his undeniable popularity and recognised greatness.
Santos vs Plymouth Argyle Match Programme, 1973. Source: FootballProgrammes.net
Plymouth weren't the only side in England that wanted a piece of the Pelé pie. £1,500 was offered for him to play for Fulham to commemorate the opening of a new stand at Craven cottage, whilst 50,000 came to get a glimpse of the Santos forward in his first game in England against Sheffield Wednesday. In the same fixture a decade later, Owls' midfielder Tommy Craig remembered following Pelé around toward the end of the game in order to swap shirts with him: "I told the referee to give me a signal when he was about to blow for time so I could stand beside the great man." You don't get comments like this without being one of football's greatest.
But when not touring, or playing in World Cups, the only way to get a glimpse of Pelé was in advertisements. The King began his footballing career in a world that was just getting used to it's most modern invention yet: the television. This allowed Pelé to become the world's first television athlete, prompting his highlights to be broadcasted across the world, though at a smaller level to the other players in this series. "His name will sell anything, from petrol to toothpaste" explained an English reporter in Pelé (2021). An example of one of these, albeit cheesy, adverts is below.
The female actress states: 'Café Pelé, it's brilliant!', to which Pelé charismatically replies to the camera, 'You know it'. Source: Gregorio Samsa from YouTube.
It was not just fans that fought for a peek of the Brazilian star, but corporate companies too. Pelé was marketable, inspiring and almost mythical: a spectacle. His greatness is so much more than just on the pitch - his impact on Brazil and the audience he garnered on a global scale is perhaps still unparalleled. He even scored the overhead kick to sink the Nazis in The Great Escape (1963), and had a movie made about him just seven years into his career: O Rei (King) Pelé: 1962 (1965). Pelé really was everywhere, and did everything. On his 80th birthday, the icon told Fifa that "when there's football on the moon, I'll go there and have a little kick around." Charismatic and spectacular, Pelé did it all.
Pelé: The Legacy
Many like to dismiss Pelé as the GOAT due to the era that he played in. For those born around the 2000s, the '60s may feel like an era too prehistoric to consider footballing brilliance. But would Pelé be able to do it in today's era? Unwaveringly, yes. Whilst he would certainly not be afforded some of the room that players allowed him early in his career, his ability to play as a number 10, a striker or even out wide would certainly fit in with the demands of modern football's flexibility. Pelé would also benefit from the higher refereeing standard, and thus would not have been kicked out of matches like he was in England '66.
Pelé (L) and Diego Maradona (R) were awarded a joint player of the century award by FIFA. Source: AP.
Great players adapt. A Pelé with the advantages of modern medicine and coaching would surely be an unstoppable force, and exactly the kind of goalscoring magic that Brazil have been lacking in the last decade. Imagine Pelé with Sir Alex Ferguson, or Lionel Messi's coaching in La Masia; there's an argument that he could be even more impactful in the modern era, though perhaps without his enormous goal total. His father's coaching, as inspiring as it may have been, was not the most skilled influence that Pelé could have had from an early age. Pelé was the epitome of natural talent.
As far as his remembrance is concerned, Pelé is still household name 50 years after he hung up his boots for Brazil. His role in this Fly Emirates advert alongside Ronaldo certainly tells that story. Yes, he is still marketable.
Some of the comments that football's greatest have made about Pelé are also a testament to his brilliance. Michel Platini suggested that "there's Pelé the man, and Pelé the player. And to play like Pelé is to play like God". Ronaldo, another Brazilian icon, also picks up on this other-worldly talent: "speaking about Pelé is speaking about en entity, speaking about something far superior to everyone". Even Ferenc Puskas, who was considered for this list, concedes to Pelé: "the greatest player in history was Di Stefano. I refuse to classify Pelé as a player. He was above that." And I think millions of people around the world during the 1960s would agree, he really WAS above that.
Pelé didnt grow up in the era of personal awards. The Ballon d'Or was unavailable to players outside of Europe until 1995 but a re-evaluation placed his likely count at seven - one more than leader Messi. Anyway, he still has a commemorative Ballon d'Or Prix d'Honneur in 2013. Three World Cup wins, the most hat-tricks scored (96), leading Brazil goalscorer (77 in 92 games), most assists in a World Cup (10), youngest goalscorer in a World Cup Final and 1283 goals in his career. These records remain unbroken to this day.
Pelé scores his 1000th goal for Santos, as his teammates wait at the half way line in anticipation. Source: Legends from YouTube.
Pelé was more than football. He was hope, mythology, an escape, an icon, a spectacle. A 17-year-old turned a downtrodden, self-damning country to one of the most recognisable in the world, sparking Brazil's rich football heritage and carrying it into the modern era. He symbolised a 'way out' for many that were unable to see one amidst domestic turmoil. He even brought soccer to the United States in his time with New York Cosmos - without it we might not have had USA '94, which Brazil won by the way. More importantly, Pelé more than knew his role. Coming off the back of the disappointing 1966 tournament, the Brazilian stated it was the "saddest moment of my [his] life". But the world was not ready for football without Pelé; his decision to play for Brazil in 1970 saved a country on the brink of civil unrest. And yes, football is that powerful, especially when it's the King.
Pelé, now 80, walking with a Zimmer frame. Source: Reuters.
Talking retrospectively on the 1970 World Cup, Pelé suggested he "just wanted to be remembered". From a certain point of view, he will be remembered as the best to ever do it. O Rei Pelé. King Pelé.
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