- Over his entire career, he officially scored 1,284 goals in 1,363 matches. He played one game as a goalkeeper.
- He is the only player to have won three FIFA World Cup titles (1958, 1962, 1970).
- His last professional playing appearance, which took place on October 1, 1977, was played in front of a capacity crowd at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In that match, most unusually, he wore the jerseys of, and played for, both teams. He wore the jersey of his then present team, the New York Cosmos (1975-1977), for the first half of the game, and his original team, Santos (Brazil, 1956-1974) for the second half of the game. At halftime, the Cosmos retired Pelé's number 10. Pelé presented the Cosmos retirement jersey to his father, who was escorted from the stands to the field by Cosmos Captain Werner Roth.
- Played in 92 matches for Brazil and scored a remarkable 77 goals.
- In 1995, Pelé was awarded Brazil's Gold Medal for outstanding services to sport; Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso appointed him to the position of "Extraordinary Minister for Sport." During his time as Minister for Sport, he proposed legislation to reduce corruption in Brazilian football, which when passed, became known as the "Pelé law." Pelé left government in 2001 after being accused of involvement in a corruption scandal, although nothing was proven, and the charges were further denied by UNICEF. In 1997, Pelé was honored by Queen Elizabeth II as an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2005, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) bestowed their award for lifetime achievement on Pelé. In 2012, Pelé was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh for "significant contribution to humanitarian and environmental causes, as well as his sporting achievements," his first such honorary degree from a European university.
- His first name was given as Edison on his birth certificate, with a date of birth of October 21, 1940. However, Pelé has publicly claimed that he was born October 23, 1940, and the October 23 date is the most often journalistically cited date. Both Edison and Edson have been variously reported as his given first name. He has publicly stated that his parents named him after inventor Thomas A. Edison, so it is more likely that his given first name is Edison rather than Edson.
- He once predicted that an African team would win the World Cup before the end of the 20th century. This has still not happened 20 years into the 21st century.
- Known as "Pérola Negra" (The black pearl).
- Was named after Thomas A. Edison but was originally nicknamed "Dico" by his family.
- Pelé had a variety of public nick names during and after his professional playing days. His most frequently cited nick name, both inside and outside of Brazil, was "The Black Pearl," but he was also referred to as "The King of Football" (O Rei do Futebol), "The King Pelé" (O Rei Pelé), or simply "The King" (O Rei).
- In June 2006, Pelé appeared at the opening of the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, alongside supermodel Claudia Schiffer.
- Pelé shares with Uwe Seeler, Uwe Seeler and Cristiano Ronaldo the achievement of being the only players to have scored in four separate World Cup tournaments.
- World record number of hat-tricks: 92.
- Youngest player to play in a FIFA World Cup Final: 17 years and 249 days (Brazil v Sweden 1958).
- Youngest two-time FIFA World Cup winner: in 1962 - Brazil (21 years).
- Played for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League from 1975-1977.
- Had a video game named after him back in the 1980s called "Pelé's Soccer".
- MMA legend Jose Landi-Jons was nicknamed "Pelé" after him. Landi-Jons never missed a Pelé soccer game and remembers every field action of his hero.
- During his professional career, he won two Intercontinental Cups and two Liberatadores Cups (both in 1962 and 1963) with Santos FC, his club from 1956 to 1974.
- Father, with Rosemary Cholbi, of a boy named Edson Cholbi Nascimento and two girls named Kelly Cristina and Jennifer.
- Had a daughter, with Anisia Machado, named Sandra Regina Machado do Nascimento (died of cancer in 2006). She was married to Oseás Felinto and had two sons named Otávio and Gabriel.
- Father, with journalist Lenita Kurtz, of Flávia Christina Kurtz.
- Son of Celeste and Dondinho Nascimento, known as Dondinho Nascimento (died in 1996).
- Brother of Maria Lúcia and Jair (called Zoca).
- Dutch artist Dick Bruynesteyn made a drawing of him and called him Pietje Pele.
- Since his retirement from active professional football play, one of his most notable roles has been as an ambassador for the United Nations. Beginning in 1992, Pelé has served as a UN ambassador for ecology and the environment. He was later appointed a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Goodwill Ambassador.
- Pelé produced an international advertising campaign to promote Viagra and raise worldwide awareness of erectile dysfunction on behalf of drug company Pfizer.
- On August 1, 2010, it was publicly announced that Pelé was appointed Honorary President of the reincarnated New York Cosmos, who hoped to field a team in Major League Soccer for 2011 or 2012, but who instead will field their inaugural team in the second-tier North American Soccer League beginning with the 2013 season.
- He was Brazilian Minister of Sport (from 1995 until 1998).
- Inducted into the American National Soccer Hall of Fame: 1992.
- He scored 12 goals and is credited with 10 assists in 14 World Cup appearances.
- Record Top scorer in a calendar year: in 1959 - 127 goals.
- Youngest goalscorer in a FIFA World Cup: 17 years and 239 days (Brazil v Wales 1958).
- Intercontinental Cup: All-time leading goalscorer: 7 goals.
- Guinness World Records: Youngest winner of a FIFA World Cup: 17 years and 249 days in 1958 FIFA World Cup.
- Youngest player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup: 17 years and 244 days (Brazil v France 1958).
- Youngest goalscorer in a FIFA World Cup Final: 17 years and 249 days (Brazil v Sweden 1958).
- Father, with 'Assíria', of twins named Joshua and Celeste.
- His jersey number, 10, has since been worn by many of soccer's top stars such as Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Zinédine Zidane and Diego Maradona.
- Nephew of Jorge Arantes.
- Grandfather of Malcolm, Ruby, Enzo, Ella, Otavio, and Gabriel.
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