WORLD CUP
2026

Before the world knew him as Pelé, a boy named Edson was born on 23 October 1940 in Três Corações, a small town in Minas Gerais, Brazil. His family moved to Bauru in São Paulo state, where money was tight and dreams felt far away. His father, Dondinho, had been a footballer too, but a knee injury ended his career early. Young Edson watched his dad play in dusty local matches and learned that football could lift a family out of hardship. The boy had no proper boots and no fancy pitch. He kicked rolled-up socks, grapefruit, or anything round he could find through the streets of Bauru. Neighbours gave him the nickname Pelé, and nobody could agree on exactly why, but the name stuck forever. He played barefoot on uneven ground, dodging potholes and laughing with friends until sunset. Poverty surrounded him, yet the ball made him feel rich. Scouts from Santos FC spotted his talent when he was just fifteen. The club signed him, and a poor kid from Brazil was about to change the world. Nobody yet knew that this skinny teenager would become the greatest footballer who ever lived.