Pelé
Pelé was a Brazilian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, having won three FIFA World Cups with the Brazilian national team.
He was just seventeen when he became a World Cup champion, the youngest player in history to do so, and he remains the only person to have won it three separate times.
A Prodigy at Santos
Pelé made his professional debut for Santos FC at just 15 years old, and his extraordinary talent was recognized almost immediately, leading to his first call-up to Brazil's national team the following year.
The Youngest World Cup Champion
At the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, Pelé became the youngest player ever to win a World Cup title at just 17 years old, scoring twice in the final and announcing himself to the world as a footballing phenomenon.
An Unmatched World Cup Record
Pelé went on to win two additional World Cups with Brazil in 1962 and 1970, becoming the only player in history to win three World Cup titles, a record that remains unbroken more than half a century later.
Over a Thousand Career Goals
Across his club and international career, Pelé scored more than 1,000 goals, a milestone he reached in a famous 1969 match, cementing his reputation as one of the most prolific goal-scorers the sport has ever produced.
A Global Ambassador
After retiring, Pelé served as a global ambassador for football and briefly as Brazil's Minister of Sport, remaining an iconic global figure for the sport until his death in December 2022.
