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After the 1974 season (his 19th with Santos), Pelé retired from Brazilian club football although he continued to occasionally play for Santos in official competitive matches. A year later, he came out of semi-retirement to sign with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL) for the 1975 season . [53]
May 6, 2024 · Pelé announced his retirement in 1974 but in 1975 agreed to a three-year $7 million contract with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League and to promote the game in the United States. He retired after leading the Cosmos to the league championship in 1977.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Brazilian football (soccer) player Pelé is regarded as perhaps the greatest player in the history the game. During his career he was probably the m...
- Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, debuted for the Brazilian national football (soccer) team in 1957 at age 16. He scored a hat tri...
- Pelé’s electrifying play and penchant for scoring spectacular goals made him a star around the world. He led Brazil to three World Cup football (so...
- In addition to having been named a national treasure by the Brazilian government in 1958, Pelé was such a huge international star that when his clu...
Dec 29, 2022 · Pelé retired after playing 1,363 games, winning 37 titles, scoring 1,281 goals, including 92 career hat-tricks. He spent his post-football life involved in social activism, including being a ...
- Early Career
- Stardom of A Youngster
- Struggle with Injuries
- Retirement and Comeback
- Late Career
- Legacy and Life After The Football Career
Although he continued to struggle financially in São Paulo, working a variety of jobs to help his family, the young Pelé found his true talent on the field. Under the tutelage of his father and a former national team player named Waldemar de Brito, Pelé began to mature as a player on the Bauru Athletic Club juniors. Coach de Brito recognized his ab...
Only a short year later, Pelé topped the list of scorers in the league. His performance, at the tender age of 17, caught the attention of the national team. He would not disappoint. In his first appearance on the world stage, he scored key goals in both the semifinal and the final match of the 1958 World Cupto win it for Brazil. At this point, he h...
On an individual level, the next two World Cups turned out disappointing due to injuries. The Brazilian side still won the tournament in 1962, but they fell way short in 1966 without their star player—they were eliminated in the group stage. During this era, though, Pelé continued to excel on his club team, Santos. Consistently a top scorer, he oft...
By the time 1970 rolled around, Pelé had reportedly decided to hang up his hat and leave while he was on top. However, he was eventually coaxed into playing one last World Cup for Brazil in Mexico on what many consider as the best team in history. Pelé contributed to Brazil’s tournament win with goals and several important assists, earning himself ...
Although he had long said that he would only ever play for Santos, he could not resist answering the call from the New York Cosmos in 1975. The North American Soccer League (NASL) represented a significant step down in terms of the level of play that Pelé was accustomed to. The burgeoning league benefitted greatly from this ambassador of the game, ...
At the time of his retirement in 1977, Pelé had amassed a series of seemingly unbreakable records. He had racked up a total of 1,283 goals in 1,363 matches, making him the top scorer in Brazilian national team history and FIFA history. Just as impressively, he managed to pull off 92 hat-tricks. He also set a record for the most FIFA World Cup wins ...
Apr 2, 2014 · Pelé announced his retirement from soccer in 1974, but he was lured back to the field the following year to play for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League, and temporarily...
Feb 18, 2021 · Pele retired from international football in 1971 aged just 30 Perhaps the most extreme incident came when Saldanha claimed an eye test showed Pele's sight had gone in order to have him...
Jan 4, 2023 · Fredrik Sandberg. Pelé was more than a great footballer – he revolutionised Brazil’s football industry. Published: January 4, 2023 10:42am EST. Some of the best moments from Brazil’s five...
