2013-11-06
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known around the world as simply Pelé, is the youngest footballer/soccer player in the world to have ever won the World Cup. Born and raised in in the poverty stricken area of Brazil known as Bauru, Pelé learned to play the sport by simply using a sock stuffed with newspaper that was tied to a string. He was introduced to the sport at a young age through his father who was also known in professional football for scoring five goals in one game. Many great legends have come and gone in the world of international football, but the name Pelé is one many consider the greatest player of all time.

Pelé's career is both interesting and astonishing. He had a fast rising career that started back in 1954 with the Bauru Athletic Club juniors. At the age of fourteen, he was able to lead them to three consecutive state championships. His enthusiasm for the game along with his dedication and talent, caught the eye of his coach at the time Waldemar de Brito. It was Brito who introduced Pelé to the professional club known as Santos FC. Pelé was only fifteen years old at the time he joined the Santos, but within just a year he would go onto help the team win the World Cup championships.

Pelé arrived at the 1958 FIFA World Cup with a knee injury. Despite his injury, his fellow teammates still felt he was able enough to play in the most important game of the season. Prior to the World Cup, Pelé had proven himself among his new team by becoming the top scorer in the league at just the young age of sixteen. Pelé's first major title was won in the 1958 Campeonato Paulista tournament where he scored 58 goals. It was a record back then, and it is a record that still stands today. During the FIFA World Cup championship, Pelé scored his first goal of the match advancing his team into the semifinals against France. At age 17 and 249 days, Pelé was the youngest player at the time to have ever played in the FIFA World Cup finals and is still the youngest player today to have ever won. The Brazilian team went on to the finals to win against Sweden 5-2.

Pelé is by far the best football player the world has ever seen. Throughout his entire career he played 1360 games while scoring 1281 goals. With an average of almost 1 goal per game, he has accomplished things some football stars can only dream of. Aside from being a rising star on the Brazilian football team, Pelé came out of retirement in 1975 to sign with the New York Cosmos. It was thanks to Pelé that Americans began to take notice in the sport. Known as soccer in America, Pelé played with the Cosmos for three years leading them to the 1977 NASL Championship. Pelé made a mark in the history of football/soccer. As the youngest player to ever win the World Cup, Pelé will certainly go down in the hall of fame for not only his amazing talent but for his dedication and contributions to the sport.