Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, was born on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil and died on 29 December 2022. He was a professional footballer who played as a forward and is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time. Throughout his career, he won three FIFA World Cups: 1958, 1962, and 1970, marking him as the only player to achieve this feat. Pelé was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999 and was included in Time's list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He also held the Guinness World Record for his 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, including matches outside of professional leagues.

Pelé began his professional career with Santos at 15 and his international career with the Brazil national team at 16. His impressive performance led to his nickname, O Rei (The King). He later played for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League and ended his 22-year professional career in 1977. Off the pitch, Pelé was known for his charismatic sportsmanship and was dubbed 'The Black Pearl'. His popularity led to his teams touring internationally, attracting crowds wherever he played. Well after his retirement, he continued to be recognized globally through his ambassadorial and humanitarian work, becoming an everlasting figure in football.