Edson Arantes do Nascimiento, better known as Pelé, was born in Três Corações, Brazil, son of João Ramos do Nascimento “Dondinho” (priest) and Celeste Arantes (mother). He was the first son of the Dondinho family.
At birth his parents named him Edison after the inventor Thomas Alva Edison. He grew up in the same city (Três Corações), in the state of Minas Gerais, approximately 200 miles northwest of Rio de Janeiro.
Pelé’s father, also known as Dondinho, was considered by many to be a warrior in the field. He was a brave footballer.
The nickname “Pelé” came from his classmates at school. Pelé meant a happy man who didn’t mind being made fun of by his friends at school. He smiled even when teased. These friends took advantage of his slurred speech.
His childhood dream was to become a pilot, but it was cut short by an unfortunate incident when a local plane crashed near his home, killing the pilot and all passengers on board.
Pelé left his house and went to the hospital to see the autopsy and, seeing the corpse of the pilot, decided that it would change his childhood dream.
That’s when he took on his father’s legacy in soccer, and Dondinho became his first coach.
Instead, his mother wanted him to follow the path of aviation and was not happy to see him take up football.
He grew up in poverty. He was never a well off kid. He wasn’t even enough for a soccer ball. That’s why he played with a sock stuffed with paper that he had at home. He also played with mangoes.
He had to take various odd jobs as a child to earn extra money, and played for various amateur teams in his youth.
It wasn’t long before Pelé realized that he was blessed with the supernatural talent for gambling. She showed it while he practiced futsal.
In Brazil, at that time, futsal was popular. They were his dribbling skills, passing, pace and goal scoring ability which propelled him to stardom.
Back then, in his playing days, soccer was one of the lowest paying careers. The footballers were among the poorest in the country. Hence, his father did not get money in this sport. This led him to retire early due to the need to earn more money from other jobs.
After retirement, Dondinho took a job cleaning hospitals where he earned extra money to help his son’s career.
He taught Pelé to pass with precisiondribble, and use the famous shoulder feint to throw off defenders and change pace quickly.
But there was something else that Pelé admired about his father and that was that he took his opinions seriously. He treated him like he was a man.
That’s why he aroused admiration in him, plus Pele was proud of Dondinho, and he told his friends about the 893 goals in 775 games, adding 19 in 6 games that he played wearing the Brazil jersey.
Pelé aspired to break that record, but was never able to do it. Dondinho’s headed goals remain an unofficial world record and a feat that Pelé himself could hardly believe. When asked about it, Pelé once said: “Only God can explain how my dad did that.”
Dondinho’s brilliance can only be expressed here as we remember him when writing about his legendary son. Dondinho lived for 89 years. He died on November 16, 1996 in São Paulo.
Pelé had a doting mother, Celeste Arantes, who worked as a maid before becoming a housewife. He went out of his way for her. They were very close just like with their father. Curiously, his mother did not agree with Pelé becoming a soccer player.
Doña Celeste mentioned in various interviews that soccer was a “pursuit with no way out” and “a sure road to poverty”, because at that time soccer players earned very little money. She wanted Pelé to focus on his studies.
his love life
In 1966 he married Rosemeri of the Cholbi Kings, with whom he had two daughters. They divorced in 1982. One of the causes of that divorce was that since 1981 she had a sentimental relationship with Xuxa, whom he helped become a model. Xuxa was only 17 years old when they started dating. The relationship ended in 1986.
In 1994 he remarried, this time to the psychologist and singer Assíria Lemos Seixas.
It was quite a spectacle, more than 170 policemen guarded the couple and 300 guests. From that union were born their two twin children, Joshua and Celeste. However, they also broke up in 2008.
He did not lose hope in love, and in June 2016, at the age of 75, he married Marcia in a small religious ceremony in Guarujá, on the coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Both were in a relationship for six years before their marriage.
It may interest you: The soccer star: simply Pelé
A story full of anecdotes and brands
Pelé liked being around people and posing for photos. His image was striking for publicity, since his game on the field earned him the nickname “O Rei”.
Speaking of lifestyle, it is worth taking note of another point. He loved to play the guitar.
Pelé was signed by Santos when I was 15 years old. He scored four goals in his league debut in a match against Corinthians on September 7, 1956. He led the Brazil team in the 1958 World Cup at the age of 17 and he became the youngest winner of a World Cup. He also scored two goals in the final against Sweden.
His first goal, in which he lobbed the ball over a defender before volleying into the corner of the net, was selected as one of the greatest goals in World Cup history.
Following Pelé’s second goal, Swedish player Sigvard Parling would later comment: “When Pelé scored the fifth goal in that final, I have to be honest and say that made me want to applaud”.
It was at the 1958 World Cup that Pelé began wearing the number 10 shirt. A prolific goalscorer, known for his ability to anticipate opponents in the box and finish with an accurate and powerful shot with either foot.
In Santos, November 19 is known as the “Day of Pele” to celebrate the anniversary of his 1,000th goal.
When Pelé retired, JB Pinheiro, Brazil’s ambassador to the United Nations, said: “Pelé played soccer for 22 years, and in that time did more to promote friendship and brotherhood in the world than any other ambassador anywhere.”
Pelé scored 92 hat tricks and scored four goals on 31 occasions, five on six occasions and once scored eight in a game. And many of Pelé’s goals were scored with bicycle shots.
In 1997, he was awarded an honorary British Knighthood. He was appointed Minister of Sports of Brazil from 1995 to 1998.
was chosen Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1999 and inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1999.
When Pelé played for New York, so many of his opponents wanted to trade jerseys with him that the club had to give each of them a jersey after each game.
He used his fame to make a difference off the court as well, serving as a United Nations ambassador for ecology and the environment.
As he prepared to start a match at Mexico 70, Pelé signaled to the referee that he needed to tie his shoelaces. The cameras were focused to reveal the cleats, brand Puma, of the striker; subsequently, the company experienced a large increase in sales.
Pele’s nickname
During his school days, Pelé used to mispronounce the name of his favorite local Vasco da Gama goalkeeper, calling him “Pila” and being made fun of by his classmates.
Hence, they decided to give him the nickname “Pelé” without knowing the repercussions that this would bring to the world of football.
In fact, his peers never knew it was a golden name. Even, It is the most searched name in the history of the internet.
In an interview, Pelé once said that the name was initially a bad nickname from childhood, which he did not like.
Today, after his death, his name has been immortalized and football will continue to have Pelé as an emblematic figure, even, for some, as the best footballer in history.