- INTERNATIONAL CAREER
Pele's international debut was on July 7, 1957, in a game against Argentina, which was by Brazil 1-2.
When the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden came up, Pele was suffering from a knee injury. But he was included in Brazil's World Cup squad despite that, along with his teammates' insistence for his selection.
In the final against hosts Sweden on June 29, 1958, Pele, the youngest player to play in a World Cup final match at 17 years and 249 days, netted twice in the game, which ended with a 5-2 victory for Brazil.
He was named best young player of the tournament.
One year later, Pele scored eight goals in the 1959 South American Championship, now known as the Copa America. Despite losing no matches, Brazil returned home with a silver medal.
In the next World Cup in 1962 in Chile, Pele netted twice against Mexico in the first game but was injured in the next one, against Czechoslovakia. He was out for the rest of the tournament but Brazil prevailed anyway, led by legendary winger Garrincha.
Brazil was the favorite in the 1966 World Cup in England, with an all-star squad including Pele, Garrincha, Gerson, and Gilmar. But it turned into a disaster for the South Americans, as they were shockingly eliminated in the first round, after three games.
Before the 1970 Mexico World Cup, Pele was unsure if he would return to play for the Brazilian National Football Team again. But eventually he agreed, and scored six goals in the qualifiers.
Pele scored his 100th World Cup goal in the final played between Brazil and Italy at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
Brazil won the game 4-1 and bagged the Jules Rimet Trophy-the former World Cup named after FIFA President Jules Rimet, replaced in 1974-while Pele won his third and last World Cup.
He played his last international game against Yugoslavia on July 18, 1971.
During his distinguished career, Pele netted 77 goals in his 92 caps for Brazil.
An active Brazil player, Neymar, 30, scored 77 goals in 124 matches for his national team to tie with Pele.
- PLAYSTYLE, LEGACY
Pele was a versatile striker, and could send accurate and powerful shots with either foot.
His ability to finish and anticipate opponents, combined with his exceptional vision and intelligence, made him a great threat to the opposition goal.
Pele was a team player thanks to his ability to link up with teammates and hard-working nature.
"The Black Pearl" scored the most career goals of 1,283 in 1,363 games, including friendlies.
Also nicknamed O Rei ("The King") after the 1958 World Cup, Pele is often seen as the best player in the history of football.
"Pele was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic," Dutch legend Johan Cruyff once said about him
Hungarian star Ferenc Puskas classified him as "more than a player."
His 1958 World Cup final opponent, Swedish player Sigvard Parling, said: "When Pele scored the fifth goal in that final, I have to be honest and say I felt like applauding."
Argentine football legend Diego Armando Maradona, his fiercest rival in the best player category, once said: "It's too bad we never got along, but he was an awesome player."
In December 2000, Pele shared the FIFA Player of the Century award with Maradona.
