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On Friday, Pelé, who many consider the greatest footballer of all time, celebrates his 80th birthday.
Youngest scorer in a World Cup final, he himself scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 games, countless titles around the world with FC Santos, Cosmos New York and especially the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups with the Seleçao. For many, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or Pelé for short, is the best footballer of all time.
With his art of playing and the story from poor boy to millionaire, the Brazilian soccer legend represents the South American country like no other. Pelé laced his football boots for more than 21 years until he left on October 1, 1977, making the number 10 jersey world famous.
Long live the king
Pelé after winning the World Cup final against Italy in 1970.
Keystone
200 interview requests for the 80th
More than four decades after his last official match, the footballer of the century is still present, despite the corona pandemic and despite the isolation in his luxurious beach villa a few minutes’ drive from Santos. However, for a long time, Pelé has only been seen virtually and online. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, there were more than 200 requests for interviews from around the world.
«I want people to remember me, not forget me. Just that ”, has always wanted Pelé, who was born in a small town called Tres Coracoes. And he has contributed a lot to this under his stage name Pelé.
Tribute
Street art in Santos on the occasion of Pelé’s 80th birthday.
Keystone
Be present at the World Cup in Qatar
The then shoemaker’s apprentice received a contract with Santos in 1956 and made his first-team debut at age 15. National coach Vicente Feola took 17-year-old Pelé to the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where he became the youngest world champion in history to date.
More than 60 years later, Pelé still dreams of the World Cup. He wants to be there in Qatar in 2022. “Without the pandemic, the plan is to go to Qatar and be part of the event there,” his manager Joe Fraga told the newspaper. Folha de S. Paulo.
The 2018 World Cup in Russia was the first in decades that Pelé was not there because he suffered the consequences of several hip operations.
