While the greatness of many players fades with time, generation after generation continue to recognize Pele as one of the best football players in history.
Almost none of his colleagues, Brazilian or not, are yet a name known around the world more than four decades after his retirement.
Pele’s enduring greatness rests largely on his World Cup triumphs and the incredible impact he had at every tournament, as well as his 757 official goals (1,283 claimed) in his career, making him one of the leading goalscorers in football history.
However, his clubs career FIFA player of the 20th century may attract less attention.
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What teams did Pele play for?
Unlike the men with whom Pele is compared in the heated debates about the greatest footballer in history, the Brazilian icon has never played in Europe. In fact, he only spent two seasons away from home.
Pele He signed for Brazilian club Santos aged 15 in 1956 and did not leave until 1975.
The striker is the top scorer in the history of Santos (618 goals) and the most number of games (636).
Pele retired from the competition after the 1974 season, before making a stunning comeback to sign with the New York Cosmos, who played in the fledgling North American Soccer League.
Pele’s arrival created huge expectations for the MLS predecessor, which had not seen anything like it until the signing of David Beckham from the LA Galaxy. Before retiring, Pele scored 37 goals in 64 appearances for the Cosmos.
However, Pele’s years in the United States failed to convince Americans to love soccer, and both the Cosmos and the NASL disbanded in 1985.
More | Who is the top scorer in football history? The battle between Cristiano Ronaldo, Josef Bikan, Pele and Lionel Messi
Why did Pele never play in Europe?
While Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona dedicated themselves to Europe decades later, Pele never left his continent to measure himself against the King of Sport’s best teams.
Of course, Real Madrid was one of the teams that tried to sign Pele, but he turned it down.
The Brazilian legend explained it herself: “I had many offers to sign for Madrid, Barca, Milan and Bayern, but I was happy at Santos and that’s why I stayed for 18 years.”
“When I left it was an experience to go to the Cosmos and promote football, do football clinics and learn English… Otherwise, I would never have left Brazil.”
Pele’s career with the Brazilian National Team
Pele holds the record for most World Cupsleading Brazil to their first three wins on football’s biggest stage.
It seems impossible that any player can surpass Pele’s cultural significance in Brazil when, of his five World Cup glories, they have only lifted the trophy twice without him.
The forward was just 16 when he scored on his debut for Brazil against Argentina, a year before he lifted his first Jules Rimet trophy and became the youngest player to appear in a final.
He scored twice that day to lead Brazil to a 5-2 win against Sweden. Pele also scored in the 1970 final, which Italy lost 4-1. He was, until the explosion of Kylian Mbappé, one of the footballers with the most goals in matches called the World Cup.
When the great marksman finished his career, he had scored an impressive 77 goals in 92 international matches, a record he held alone for many years until Neymar reached it.
