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1281 goals in 1375 games "My father always told me that God gave me the gift of playing football. That was a gift, but not enough to just be a great player, I would also be a great man, so that nothing could defeat me. This is my message to all My people I would like to thank all unfortunately can not add all of you, because my profile is full. Thank you for caring! If ever I am also sorry I disappoint people. I add them to my new profile below, thank you for caring!Edson Arantes Do Nascimento(heroes walk alone, but they become myths when they ennoble the lives and touch the hearts of all of us. For those who love soccer, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, generally known as Pelé, is a hero.) (better known as Pelé) is known as a legend and the best soccer player to ever play the game. He was raised in a very poor family in Tres Coracos, Brazil and his parents, Dondinho and Celeste Nascimento called Edson "Dico," growing up.He first learned the game of soccer from his father, Dondinho, who was a decent center forward until his career was halted by a fractured leg.Pelé began playing soccer for a local minor-league club when he was a teenager. When he wasn't playing soccer he shined shoes for pennies. He was discovered at the age of 11 by one of the country's premier players, Waldemar de Brito. When Brito brought Pelé to Sao Paulo he declared to the disbelieving directors of the professional team in Santos, "This boy will be the greatest soccer player in the world."He was right! Pelé's impact was immediate! On his first appearance for the team, against Corinthians F.C., he scored a goal right away. He was only 16.Pelé went on to play in four World Cups with Brazil's National Team. At the 1958 World Cup in Sweden -- one he nearly missed because of a knee injury -- Pelé stunned the world scoring six goals, including two in the championship game to help Brazil win its first World Cup 5-2 over Sweden. He was only 17 years-old, but a legend was born.An average-sized man, he was blessed with speed, great balance, tremendous vision, the ability to control the ball superbly, and the ability to shoot powerfully and accurately with either foot and with his head.Four years later he played on Brazil's World Cup team at in the finals in Chile, but an injury suffered in the first game of the tournament prevented him from helping Brazil win its second title.Wealthy European clubs offered massive fees to sign the young player, but the government of Brazil declared Pelé an official national treasure to prevent him from being transferred out of the country.At the 1966 World Cup in England, Pelé was the victim of some brutal tackles from Bulgarian and Portuguese defenders and left the finals injured and in tears. But the best of Pelé was still to come.At the 1970 finals in Mexico, the 29-year-old Pelé, led one of the greatest teams ever assembled to win Brazil's third World Cup. In the 4-1 title triumph over Italy, Pelé, scored a glorious goal. It was Brazil's 100th World Cup goal, and the one he remembers the most."I have a special feeling for that goal because I scored it with my head," he said. "My father was a soccer player and once scored five goals in a game, all with his head. That was one record I was never able to break."Pelé's statistics are staggering. During his career he scored 1,280 goals in 1,360 games, second only to another Brazilian, Arthur Friedenreich, who recorded 1,329 goals. He scored an average of a goal in every international game he played--the equivalent of a baseball player's hitting a home run in every World Series game over 15 years.At the club level he shattered records in Brazil. He scored 127 goals for Santos F.C. in 1959, 110 in 1961 and 101 goals in 1965, and led the club to two World Club championships.Pelé also holds the world record for hat tricks (92) and the number of goals scored on the international level (97). His statistics are all the more amazing when compared to today's top players who can barely score more that 30 goals in a season.He retired from the game in 1974, but came out of retirement the following year to play in the North American Soccer League for the New York Cosmos for just over two seasons. A reported 7-million-dollar contract for three years made him the highest paid soccer player of the North American Soccer League.His appearance in the NASL gave the American League instant credibility and made millions of Americans aware of the sport, he dubbed the "beautiful game." He said he came out of retirement, not for the money, but to "make soccer truly popular in the United States."During his career he played in 93 full internationals for Brazil and in all first class matches scored a remarkable 1,280 goals, second only to Artur Friedenreich, another Brazilian, who holds the world record with 1,329.In many ways, Pelé was the complete athlete. With his skill and agility, he could have played in any position on the field, but he chose on wearing the number-10 shirt as an inside-left forward. He had great balance, which enabled him to dribble effortlessly around defenders, and his heading ability was remarkable.On Oct. 1, 1977, Pelé's mission in the NASL ended. His last match, an exhibition game between the Cosmos and Santos, was sold out six weeks beforehand, covered by 650 journalists and broadcast in 38 nations. Muhammad Ali embraced him in the locker room before the match and said, "Now there are two of the greatest." In a speech to dignitaries, celebrities and more than 75,000 fans, Pelé urged his audience to pay attention to the children of the world. At his request, the assemblage shouted, "Love! Love! Love!" Then he went out and played the first half for the Cosmos -- scoring a goal on a rocket from 30 yards out -- and the second half for Santos.On Pelé's retirement, J.B. Pinheiro, Brazil's ambassador to the U.N., said Pelé had "spent 22 years playing soccer, and in that time he has done more for goodwill and friendship than all of the ambassadors ever appointed."In addition to his great accomplishments in soccer, he published several best-selling autobiographies, starred in several documentary and semi-documentary films, and composed numerous musical pieces, including the entire sound track for the film 'Pelé' (1977). He was the 1978 recipient of the International Peace Award, and in 1980 he was named athlete of the century.In 1993, Pelé was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame and is the former ambassador of sports in Brazil. He has also done extensive work for children's causes through UNICEF.In 2000, Pelé was named second for the "Sportsman of the Century" award. The legendary Muhammad Ali got the honors.An average-sized man, he was blessed with speed, great balance, tremendous vision, the ability to control the ball superbly, and the ability to shoot powerfully and accurately with either foot and with his head. In his career he played in 1,363 matches and scored 1,282 goals. His best season was 1958, when he scored 139 times. In addition to his accomplishments in sports, he published several best-selling autobiographies, starred in several documentary and semidocumentary films, and composed numerous musical pieces, including the entire sound track for the film 'Pele' (1977). He was the 1978 recipient of the International Peace Award, and in 1980 he was named athlete of tPele's Teams and Successes 1281 goals in 1363 matches - all-time world record Top Brazilian goalscorer of all-time IOC Athlete of the Century 1999 Clubs 1956-1974 Santos 1975-1977 New York Cosmos Club Titles 1956 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1957 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (17 goals) 1958 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1958 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (58 goals) 1959 Copa America finalist 1959 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (45 goals) 1960 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1960 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (33 goals) 1961 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1961 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (47 goals) 1961 Copa Libertadores (Santos) 1961 Brazilian Cup winner (Santos) 1962 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1962 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (37 goals) 1962 Copa Libertadores (Santos) 1962 World Club champion (Santos) 1962 Brazilian Cup winner (Santos) 1963 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (22 goals) 1963 World club champion (Santos) 1963 Brazilian Cup winner (Santos) 1964 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1964 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (34 goals) 1964 Brazilian Cup winner (Santos) 1965 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (49 goals) 1965 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1965 Brazilian Cup winner (Santos) 1967 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1968 Sao Paulo state champion(Santos) 1968 Brazilian Cup winner (Santos) 1969 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1969 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (26 goals) 1973 Sao Paulo state champion (Santos) 1973 Top goalscorer in Sao Paulo league (11 goals) 1977 USA champion (Cosmos New York) International Honors 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden: winner 1959 Copa America: finalist 1959 Top goalscorer in Copa America (9 goals) 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile: winner 1966 FIFA World Cup in England: first round 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico: winner 92 caps, 97 goals he century.Pele went on to become the best-loved footballer of his or any other generation.A veteran of four World Cups, Pele was a member of winning squads in 1958, 1962 and 1970, his sumptuous range of skills making him the glittering totem of Brazilian football's golden age.After playing his first game for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956, Pele earned a call up to the national team a year later, scoring on his debut against Argentina. In 1958 he was picked for the World Cup in Sweden.His participation at the finals had been a matter of great debate in Brazil, with many critics questioning whether the slender-framed teenager was ready for the physical demands of the tournament.Nursing a knee injury on arrival in Sweden, Pele was unavailable for Brazil's opening two matches.He might also have been forced to sit out their third, against the Soviet Union, had coach Vicente Feola decided to heed the advice of a team psychologist who had urged that Pele was "infantile" and not fit for duty.In the event Feola opted to play the youngster, and it paid off. Working in tandem with Garrincha, Pele gave a virtuoso display as the Soviets were vanquished 2-0.Once in the team, Pele made it impossible for him to be removed. A winning goal in the quarter-final against Wales and a hat-trick in the 5-2 semi-final victory over France were followed by two more in the final over Sweden.Still only 17, Pele had become the youngest World Cup winner in history. The next two tournaments were to be unhappy experiences however.Twenty-one by the time of the 1962 World Cup in Chile, an older, stronger Pele had been expected to take the tournament by storm.He gave a tantalising glimpse of what he was capable of with an electric individual goal against Mexico in Brazil's opening 2-0 win.But he aggravated an existing injury in the second game, against the Czechs, and was forced to sit out the remainder of the tournament as his countrymen successfully defended their title.Pele's frustration that injury had limited his appearances in Chile were nothing compared to the sickening disappointment of England in 1966 where, unprotected by referees, he was literally kicked out of the tournament.Brutally assaulted by Bulgaria's defence in the first game to the extent that he was forced to miss the second match, the nadir came against Portugal.Two crippling challenges by Morais left a tearful Pele being carried from Goodison Park pitch swearing never to play in a World Cup again. "I don't want to finish my life as an invalid," he said.Thankfully, Pele's disconsolate vow was to prove an empty threat. He returned four years later in Mexico to spearhead what is regarded to be the greatest team of all time.Where 1966 had been viewed as a victory for cynicism, the 1970 tournament, and Pele and Brazil's winning contribution to it, have become synonymous with the beautiful game.It is a testament to the quality of Pele's play in Mexico that he is remembered for the goals he didn't score as much as for the ones he did.An outrageous attempt to lob Czechoslovakia's goalkeeper from inside his own half, and a magical dummy against Uruguay in the semi-finals are among the finest moments of World Cup history.Though he was to continue playing club football for his beloved Santos and later the New York Cosmos, Pele retired from international duty in 1971 making a tearful farewell in front of 180,000 fans at the Maracana Stadium."Pele was the most complete player I've ever seen," England's Bobby Moore recalled later. "He had everything." E que os meninos de hoje não se esqueçam de dizer aos meninos de amanhã,que até a bola do jogo pedia autógrafo para Pelé,quando ele entrava em campo.