Pelé is a retired Brazilian professional soccer player widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He is a three-time World Cup winner and was named FIFA's World Player of the Century. Pelé was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on October 23, 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil. He began playing soccer at a young age and quickly rose through the ranks of Brazilian club teams. He made his professional debut at age 15 and was called up to the Brazilian national team a year later. Pelé became a national hero in Brazil for his performances in the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, and he went on to win a third World Cup in 1970. Pelé retired from professional soccer in 1977, but he remained active in the sport as a coach and ambassador. He was inducted into the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame and the International Football Hall of Fame, and he was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
