|
 Pelé, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento has perhaps the most recognizable
face in the world. When people hear the name Pelé they think of
one thing - soccer. Pelé changed the game of soccer in many
ways. One way he changed the game is that he brought style and
grace to the game, which back in his early playing days did not
have
the flair and glamour that is now has.
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Personal Information |
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Class of 1993 |
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Born:
October 23, 1940
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Tres Coracoes, Brazil |
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Position:
Forward |
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Int'l
Caps: 92 |
Int'l
Goals: 77 |
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Pelé scored an amazing 1,283 goals
throughout his celebrated career. He scored a dozen of those
goals in three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970) against some the
greatest players who have ever walked on a soccer field. Pelé
earned 92 international appearances for Brazil and scored 77
goals.
Pelé showed a combination of skill, strength and
agility that no player before him possessed. He was head
and shoulders above his opponents, and he never backed down from
a challenge. He showed millions of people across the world
that soccer is 'A Beautiful Game' and encouraged millions of
young kids to play soccer.
.jpg) Pelé enjoyed success on the field
from the beginning and held the record for the youngest player
to ever play in a World Cup from 1958 when Norman Whiteside took
the field in the 1982 World Cup
for Northern Ireland. He was only 17 years old when he walked out
onto soccer's greatest stage - the World Cup. He also became the
youngest player to score and win the World Cup when Brazil won
in 1958.
In 1975, the Cosmos Ownership Group
(Hall of Famers
Steven Ross,
Ahmet
Ertegun, and
Nesuhi Ertegun)
brought the legendary Pelé to the United States to play soccer
in the North American Soccer League. Pelé played with the New
York Cosmos, who from 1975 to 1977 were perhaps the most
successful franchise in United States soccer history. In his three
year NASL career Pelé tallied 31 goals and registered 25 assists in
56 games.
Pelé brought national media
attention to the NASL, and also brought new investors into the
league. In 1978, the year after his departure there were
a record number of 24 teams in the league. The NASL ended up
fading from the national sports scene six seasons later in 1984 due
to financial reasons.
Pelé was inducted into the National
Soccer Hall of Fame in 1993. By coming to play
soccer in the United States, Pelé helped support the growth and
youth involvement in soccer. |
