Image - Social Media

10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Pelé

Pelé was born on 23 October 1940 in Brazil. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

1

Pelé was named after American inventor Thomas Edison.

2

Pelé was the first athlete in history to become a global brand ambassador, signing a deal with Coca-Cola in 1966.

3

He was the first athlete to appear on the cover of Time magazine in 1972.

4

Pelé was an honorary member of the Brazilian air force.

5

He was the first professional athlete to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds.

6

Pelé was the first athlete to be awarded the Order of Merit in Brazil.

7

He has scored over 1,000 goals in his career, making him the highest goal scorer in history.

8

He was a UN ambassador for ecology and the environment.

9

Pelé was named one of the most influential people of the 20th Century by TIME magazine.

10

10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Karim Benzema (Footballer)

NEXT