Pele Biography Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, is a Brazilian retired professional soccer player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He was born on October 23, 1940, in Três Corações, Brazil. Pelé began his professional soccer career at the age of 15, when he signed with Santos FC, a Brazilian club. He quickly became a star, leading Santos to numerous victories in the Campeonato Paulista, the top professional soccer league in Brazil's São Paulo state. In 1958, at the age of 17, Pelé became the youngest player to ever play in a World Cup. He helped lead Brazil to victory in the tournament, scoring two goals in the final match against Sweden. Over the course of his career, Pelé scored a total of 1,281 goals in 1,363 games, an average of more than a goal a game. He also helped Brazil win three World Cup titles, in 1958, 1962, and 1970. Pelé retired from professional soccer in 1977, and was named Athlete of the Century by the Internat...