Brazilian soccer legend Pelé has died. He was 82.
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on Oct. 23, 1940, he was known worldwide by his four-letter moniker. Labeled “the greatest” by FIFA for his achievements on the pitch, Pelé won a record-breaking three World Cups — the first at 17 — and averaged nearly one goal per game. His 1,279 goals are recognized as a Guinness world record.
Pelé began treatment for colon cancer last year.
Later in life, he served as Brazil’s sports minister. In 2000, Time magazine listed him as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
When commissioned to paint his portrait in 1977, Andy Warhol remarked that the legendary footballer “was one of the few who contradicted my theory: Instead of 15 minutes of fame, he will have 15 centuries.”
The Daily Mail has more on his surprising influence in the United States, where he played for the New York Cosmos after a wildly successful career in Brazil:
Pele’s fame made him a household name even in the States with Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter among the Presidents to grant him an audience at the White House.
His presence helped launch the game in the United States and persuaded other legends like George Best, Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff to play there.
…
All this came against the backdrop of a chequered love life. He married first wife Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi in 1966 and they had two daughters – Kelly and Jennifer – and a son, Edson.
The son, known as Edinho, was sentenced to 33 years imprisonment on money laundering and drug trafficking charges in 2014 but this was reduced to 12 years and 10 months on appeal.
Pelé ultimately married three times and became known to a new generation in recent years as a spokesman for multiple international corporations and the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra.
Though he insisted he never used it.
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