Pele: The Autobiography

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Pelé remains one of the most beloved and iconic sports figures in history, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. His legacy lives on through his academy and his incredible feats on the pitch. He has written multiple books about his life and continues to be an inspiration to young footballers around the world. Final Summary and Review For example, at the beginning Pele mentions that goals at friendly matches weren't counted towards his general career records, but then he goes on playing other friendlies and scoring goals that were adding up to his first 1,000. Why so? No explanation. Spotted by football star Waldemar de Brito, Pelé began playing for Santos at 15 and his national team at 16, and won his first World Cup at 17. Despite numerous offers from European clubs, the economic conditions and Brazilian football regulations at the time benefited Santos, thus enabling them to keep Pelé for almost two decades until 1974. Pelé played as an inside forward, striker, and what later became known as the playmaker position. Pelé's technique and natural athleticism have been universally praised and during his playing years he was renowned for his excellent dribbling and passing, his pace, powerful shot, exceptional heading ability, and prolific goalscoring. Pele’s most memorable moment in the World Cup came in 1970. In the quarter-finals against England, he scored a spectacular goal from outside the penalty area to secure a 1-0 victory. He scored three goals in the tournament and helped Brazil to their third World Cup title.

Throughout his time at Santos, Pele established himself as one of the most iconic and influential figures in soccer history. His success at the club level paved the way for his triumphs with the Brazilian national team, and his legacy has endured to this day. StoryShot #4: Pele’s World Cup Legacy It’s interesting to see what doesn’t make the finished cut. The women in Pelé’s life – his family, his first wife, an unspecified number of children – are barely mentioned. Money is barely mentioned: for more than a decade Pelé entrusted his financial affairs to his agent, Pepe Gordo, who invested a significant part of Pelé’s fortune in a number of failed businesses. By the late 1960s, Pelé was broke and forced to ask his club, Santos, to bail him out on unfavourable terms. This traumatic episode had a defining impact on Pelé, who in some respect has spent the rest of his life chasing down the riches he believes are his due. Pelé was actively involved in leprosy elimination campaigns in Brazil and did extensive work for children's causes through UNICEF.

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For any fan of Pelé, this is a must read. These are the words directly from the man himself, told the way he would as if speaking to him face-to-face. Pelé: His Life and Times For more of a third-person perspective on the life of Pelé, this biography offers a detailed account on the footballing career of the Brazilian legend.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, during a playing career which stretched from 7 Sep 1956 to 1 Oct 1977, Pelé scored 1,283 goals. I now wish I had done this earlier. This is a fantastically enjoyable autobiography, in which Pele really takes you inside how it felt to win the World Cup in Sweden in 1958 aged just 17. Unlike other similar books, this doesn't focus on the way the success was achieved at the expense of what it meant. Edson Arantes do Nascimento has an amazing ability to recall his emotions and really take you inside his head. What makes it more charming is that he was very humble and is open and honest about how much it meant to him (winning it for his dad after promising him as a 10 year old in 1950 following the Maracanazo). What sets this book apart from the other biography and autobiography is the use of graphics. The author has designed this book to be more visually appealing, rather than simply telling the story with words.

At sixteen, he made his professional debut with the legendary Santos Football Club. He would stay with them for nearly two decades, becoming their all-time leading goalscorer and most successful player ever. It was during his time with Santos that Pele really began to make a name for himself, showing his incredible talents on the pitch and becoming an icon of the game. He won numerous awards and titles with Santos, including the Campeonato Paulista seven times and the prestigious Copa Libertadores twice. StoryShot #2: Pele’s Early Professional Career