In the world of football, Pele is the name of a legend. He was the one to lead the Brazilian team to victory not one but three times. The International Federation of Association of Football has labeled Pele as The Greatest.
Now, let’s find the answer to the asked question, is Pele Alive?
Unfortunately, Pele died last year (December 29, 2022).
Age of Pele
On 23 October 1940, Pele was born in Tres Coracoes, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thus, he is now passing the 81st year of his lifespan. Though this legendary personality is known as Pele to the world, his original name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
Pele’s father’s name is Dondinho, and he was a Fluminense footballer. His father named him following the great scientist of America named Thomas Alva Edison. Since his childhood, Pele has been very fond of football. So, his father taught him how to play.
On the other hand, Pele’s mother’s name is Celeste Arantes. In addition, he had two siblings, and they were younger than him.
Pele spent his early life in Bauru, in the region of Sao Paulo. In childhood, he had to encounter poverty. He had to work in tea stalls to earn money. However, when Pele was 14, he participated in an adult’s tournament and kept himself at the top.
Pele’s Club Football Career
In 1956, at the age of 14, Pele started playing club football, though he was not an adult. He played for the Santos Football Club from the beginning of his football career. In 1974, Pele quit playing football with Santos FC.
In the beginning, in 1956, Pele played in tournaments such as Campeonato Paulista and Domestic Competition. But he did not make any goal. However, Pele played unstoppably in the next year and continued to do so.
With Santos Football Club, Pele has played in two international competitions, including Copa Libertadores and International Cup, from 1960 to 1974. Besides, from 1956 to 1974, he played in Campeonato Paulista.
Anyways, the number of goals and appearances Pele made in these competitions are provided below to see at a glance:
| Tournament | Total Appearances (Total Goals) |
| Campeonato Paulista | 410 (468) |
| Rio-Sao Paulo | 53 (49) |
| Campeonato Brasilerio Serie A | 173 (101) |
| Domestic Competitions | 636 (618) |
| Copa Libertadores | 15 (17) |
| Intercontinental Cup | 8 (8) |
| Lifetime Total | 659 (643) |
Besides playing with Santos Football Club, a Brazilian club, Pele also signed a contract with an American football club named New York Cosmos. He played with the following club in 1975, 1976, and 1977.
With the New York Cosmos, Pele played in some leagues, postseasons, and others. Moreover, he made 66 goals in total with this club. In 1977, Pele took retirement from football permanently and focused on other career activities.
International Records of Pele
Pele is widely famous all over the world for his legendary level of football skill. Besides, he is the top scorer in the history of the Brazilian national football team. Pele played 92 international matches and made 77 goals or 0.84 goals on average.
Brazil has won five FIFA World Cups until now. However, Pele led Brazil to the world cup victory not one but three times, including in 1958, 1962, and 1970. The number of goals Pele did in the FIFA world cup in each season is listed below:
| FIFA World Cup Year | Number of Goals |
| 1958 | 6 |
| 1962 | 1 |
| 1966 | 1 |
| 1970 | 4 |
| Total Goals | 12 |
Physical Condition of Pele
Pele is currently passing the 81st year of his lifespan. It is normal for a human to get very weak physically and in the immune system. Pele is not an exception.
In 2012, Pele had surgery for hip replacement. For some reason, the surgery was failed. Thus, he has become disabled by walking and has to move from a place to another using a wheelchair.
Recently, Pele has visited a hospital for problems in a kidney and prostate. Moreover, he has gotten treatment for a colon tumor that was identified years ago.
