Pelé

Pelé, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was born in October 1940 in the city of Tres Coracoes, which means "Three Hearts" and currently has a population of 70,000. He is the son of Joao Ramos do Nascimento, a poor footballer for Fluminense, also known as Dondinho. Pelé's first name (Edson) was inspired by his father's admiration for the great inventor Thomas Edison. He acquired his nickname, the name by which he became known worldwide, during his school years. He first played football for his neighborhood team, Bauru, before being discovered by Santos at the age of 15 and joining their ranks. Pelé played for Santos until he was 33, after which he spent the last three years of his career abroad in the United States with the Cosmos. However, it was his achievements with his country's National Team that made his nation adore him and the whole world admire him. Present in four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970), three of which Brazil won, Pelé was the youngest player to win a World Cup at the age of 17, scoring two goals in Brazil's 5-2 victory over Sweden in Stockholm. In the next two World Cups, serious injuries limited him. However, in 1970, he led Brazil to win the Cup with a 4-1 victory over Italy, scoring one goal and assisting another for Carlos Alberto, which is considered one of the most beautiful goals of all time. Referring to this, Pelé famously stated after the match: "I didn't see him. I heard him..." After retiring from football, Pelé decided to engage in public affairs. He has served as Brazil's Minister of Sports, a UNESCO Ambassador, and a United Nations Ambassador for Ecology and the Environment.