Pelé is a legendary Brazilian footballer who starred for both the national team and clubs like Santos and the New York Cosmos. Pelé surprised everyone with his goal-scoring and playmaking abilities on the field, which led to his selection as the International Olympic Committee’s “Footballer of the Millennium.”
Most people would agree that Pelé is the greatest soccer player of all time, making him a legendary figure in the 20th century. During his prime, he earned more money than any other athlete on the planet. Pelé made tens of millions of dollars via endorsement deals with corporations, most notably Puma, even after he retired for decades.
There are a lot of notable records that Pelé presently holds, including the record for the most goals scored in a single season in the top league (541). Overall, he has scored 1297 goals in all competitions. For the Brazilian people, Pelé is an icon; he scored 77 goals in his professional career, making him the country’s all-time best scorer.
Pele Biography
Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born On October 23, 1940, in the Brazilian municipality of Três Coraçes. Both Pelé and his father, Dondinho, were born into footballing families. Edson is the middle of three siblings, the other two being named after Thomas Edison.
After mispronouncing the name of a goalie for the Vasco de Gama team when he was young, Pelé became a household name. His prankster pals kept dubbing him “Pelé,” and the moniker stuck. It’s true that “Pelé” means nothing in Portuguese or anywhere else in the world. A poor child, Pelé grew up in the slums of Bauru, Sao Paulo.
Although Pelé spent much of his time laboring to support his family, he started playing football at a young age. The family could not buy a soccer ball, so he used grapefruit instead as his father taught him various skills. While growing up in Brazil, Pelé joined multiple juvenile teams and quickly became an indoor football superstar.
Pele’s Net Worth
| Name | Pelé |
| Net Worth (2022) | $100 Million |
| Profession | Former Minister of Sports of Brazil |
| Monthly Income And Salary | $1 Million + |
| Yearly Income And Salary | $8 Million + |
| Last Updated | 2022 |
Pelé, a legendary Brazilian footballer, was worth $100 million when he passed away. On December 29, 2022, at the age of 82, Pelé passed away. It’s estimated that he made about $5 million during his time playing football in Calgary. Most of his income came from his continued involvement with football.
In addition, his businesses bring in about $10 million annually in revenue. He’s a political figure in Brazil. He has served twice as minister of sports. We hope that he has a long and prosperous life. Join us later to learn about the celebs’ daily routines.
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Pelé’s Salary
When Pelé was playing, there wasn’t a lot of money in soccer. That’s why the Brazilian’s career on the pitch didn’t pay off very well financially. Even yet, during his three-year run with the New York Cosmos in the ’70s, he made a cool $6 million.
Pelé, who has been retired from playing since 1977, now makes the majority of his money from endorsements. As of 2015, he has earned $14 million, placing him at number 13 on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid retired athletes.
Pelé’s Investment
Despite Pelé’s success on the football field, he was not as successful in business. His failures can be attributed to poor decision-making. Unfortunately, his building firm failed. The ‘King of Football’ was unable to benefit from the sale of Café Pelé, despite the fact that it was widely considered one of the best coffee products in the world.
The Brazilian sold his Hamptons home, which he had purchased for $156,000 in 1979, for $2.85 million in 2018. Many accusations of corruption surfaced during Pelé’s three-year tenure as Brazil’s Sports Minister from 1995-1998.
Pelé’s Endorsements
Various firms, including Puma, Hublot, Volkswagen, Subway, Emirates, Procter & Gamble, Santander, etc., have paid Pelé to be their spokesman or endorser. Considering that Brazil will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics, numerous businesses hired Pelé as a brand ambassador in anticipation of these events.
Pelé was named the UNESCO Sports Champion in April 1994 for his work with underprivileged youth and advocacy on behalf of the sports industry. To spread his message that athletics can serve as a unifying force for society, he traveled widely throughout numerous nations such as Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia.
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Career
After impressing the coach at Santos FC at the tender age of 15, Pelé’s professional career got underway. After signing a contract, he debuted professionally in 1956, scoring in his first game. At only 16 years old, he led all scorers in the Brazilian league.
Soon after, he was called up to the Brazilian national squad, where he participated in the 1958 and 1962 World Cups. There were many top teams interested in signing the promising young player, but Pelé never broke his loyalty to Santos or Brazil.
The Intercontinental Cup in 1962 and the Copa Libertadores the following year were just two more great accomplishments for his club. The Nigerian Civil War was halted in 1969 for two days so that opposing forces could see Pelé play in a Lagos stadium.
The New York Cosmos signed Pelé following the 1974 season, despite the fact that he had been courted by prominent clubs like Inter Milan and Real Madrid. A slew of other soccer greats, like Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto, eventually joined the Cosmos after he did.
The likes of George Best, Johan Cruyff, and Bobby Moore were all influenced by Pelé to play in the United States. He also swayed a sizable portion of the American public into becoming first-time soccer fans. Over 62,000 people showed up to watch one of his matches with the Cosmos at Giant Stadium in 1977.
Pelé got off to a great start in his international career, winning the 1958 World Cup with a pair of goals in the final against Sweden. Although injured for the majority of the 1962 World Cup, he nevertheless managed to contribute to Brazil’s victory. After a lackluster performance in 1966, Pelé won the World Cup for the final time in 1970.
Real Estate
It was reported in 2018 that Pelé has sold his Hamptons mansion for $2.85 million. He had paid $156,000 for the house back in 1979. The residence began as a modest cottage, but Pelé added to it over the years to make a sprawling.
E mansion that now spans 3,500 square feet. An additional benefit is a proximity to the beach. At age 77, Pelé had retired to Brazil and was no longer making much use of the mansion.
Personal Life
In 1966, Pelé wed Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi, and the couple went on to have three children. After divorcing his first wife in 1982, Pelé began dating a Brazilian television hostess named Xuxa.
She was only 17 at the time. Psychologist Assyria Lemos Seixas became his second wife in 1994. By the time he finally divorced Seixas in 2008, they had already welcomed two more children into the world.
Pelé, at 73 years old, recently announced his engagement to Marcia Aoki, a Japanese-Brazilian woman. They had been dating for a long time before finally getting married in 2016. More than a few of Pelé’s children are the results of extramarital affairs.
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Controversy
A lot of the controversy surrounding Pelé happened after he retired from professional football. The ex-footballer was accused of taking $700,000 from UNICEF in a corruption case that unfolded in 2001.
He was barred from attending the 1994 FIFA World Cup draw in Las Vegas due to his conflict with Joao Havelange, who was president at the time. Accusing Samsung Electronics of violating its right to publicity and paying for fake endorsements.
Pelé filed a $30 million lawsuit against the company in 2016. The controversy began after a Samsung commercial from 2015 featured a man who looks strikingly similar to Pelé, as well as a scene depicting Pelé’s trademark bicycle kick.