Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born on 23 October 1940, in Minas Gerais, Brazil. He is a retired footballer regarded as the greatest player of all time. According to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, he is the most successful league scorer of all time, holding the Guinness World Record for most goals in a football career. The success he had playing professionally propelled him to his current net worth.
How rich is Pele? Sources inform us of a net worth that is at $100 million as of early 2016, mostly acquired through his highly successful football career. After his retirement, he went on to do ambassadorial work for various organizations. He’s released documentaries and autobiographies which have also helped raise his finances.
Pele Net Worth $100 Million
Pele is the son of Fluminese footballer Dondinho; the name Edson was taken from inventor Thomas Edison. The name Pele came from a mispronunciation of Vasco de Gama goalkeeper Bile, and the nickname stuck with him despite having no real meaning. Living in poverty, Pele was not able to afford his own football, but he was taught by his father while he served at local tea shops to help with money. He played for local clubs during his youth and helped all of his clubs to reach championships. He even dominated the indoor football competition, Futebol de Salao.
In 1956, Pele was brought to industrial port city Santos, where he would try out for the professional club Santos FC. During try-outs, he impressed the coach and was given a professional contract at the young age of 15. He was highly promoted by the local media as a future superstar, and even then some called him the “greatest football player in the world”. He made an impressive performance in his debut match and by the following year he was put in a starting position. He went on to become the league’s top scorer, and was called to play for the Brazilian National Team.
Santos would win their first major tournament in 1958 at the Campeonato Paulista, a tournament in which Pele scored a record 58 goals. They were not able to defend in the following year, but in 1960 Pele helped them regain the title. In 1961, along with a successful Paulista defence, the club would also go on to win the Taca Brasil thanks largely to Pele’s performance. This allowed Santos to participate in the prestigious Copa Libertadores. His most successful year was 1962, where Pele and his club would win the Campeonato Paulista, Brasiliero, and the 1962 International Cup.
Pele’s international career was marked especially by Brazil winning the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, with Pele outstanding in both, the first at the age of 18 which really brought him to fame around the world. After the 1962 World Cup, many international clubs opted to sign him but the government declared him an “official national treasure” so that no one could take him away. Although literally fouled-out of the 1966 World Cup, the Brazilians and Pele were again on top form in Mexico in 1970, and won for a third time, thereby getting to keep the Jules Rimet trophy permanently.
Pele continued to play at the top of his form, and Santos took advantage of that, travelling around the world. Pele had become so popular that a civil war in Nigeria even agreed to a ceasefire so that they could watch him play. He had developed a following thanks to his extraordinary play and spectacular goals. In 1974, at his 19th season, Pele decided to retire from Brasilian football, only playing from time to time in competitive matches. Way past his prime, he signed with the New York Cosmos and helped develop awareness for the sport. In 1977, an exhibition match was played between Pele’s two teams, with him playing for the Cosmos in the first half and then the Santos for the second half.
Pele was married in 1966, and had two children from that marriage. It eventually ended in divorce in 1982, and he was linked with model Xuxa from 1981 to 1986. In 1994, he married gospel singer Assiria Lemos Seixas and they had twins, but they divorced in 2008. Aside from these relationships, Pele also has two other children from former affairs. He is now married to Marcia Aoki.
