At 17, Pelé made his debut for Brazil and became the youngest player in a World Cup final, where he scored 2 goals to help his team beat Sweden.
1962
Pelé plays on the winning Brazilian national team at his second FIFA World Cup in Chile.
1970
After England won in 1966, Brazil made a triumphant comeback in 1970, netting Pelé his third contribution to helping his national team lift the coveted trophy.
1978
Always having been a passionate advocate for children’s rights, Pelé was awarded the International Peace Award for his work with UNICEF.
1980
Atari made the game ‘Pelé’s Soccer’, arguably the first time that a living person was honored with a widely distributed sports video game named after him.
1997
Received an honorary British Knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II.
1999
He was crowned Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee.
2005
BBC Sports present Pelé with the prestigious Person of the Year award, for his lifetime achievements, on and off the field of sports.
2014
Receives FIFA Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur, one of the most prestigious awards in the sport.
2016
Pelé’s biopic “Pelé: Birth of a Legend” premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
2018
In 2018, Pelé launched his namesake global legacy foundation, The Pelé Foundation.
