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Pele began his football career at Brazilian side Santos in 1956
He joined the club at 15, making his senior debut in 1956.
He’d go on to score 643 goals over 19 years in a golden era for Santos.
He was player of the tournament four years later, as Brazil assembled one of the greatest sides ever and lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in Mexico.
This Brazil side achieved a perfect record of wins in all six games in the finals, as well as winning all their qualifying games.
Led by Carlos Alberto, a team featuring the likes of Jairzinho, Tostao and Rivellino, defeated Italy 4-1 in the final.
Pele scored Brazil’s opening goal in the final in the 18th minute.
Since retiring, Pele has been Brazil’s sports minister and acted as an ambassador for football.
And he was a special ambassador for Brazil at the 2014 World Cup.
He won a place in the Brazil squad for the 1958 World Cup at just 17 – becoming the tournament’s youngest goal scorer.
The striker scored twice in the final against the hosts Sweden, winning the first of three World Cups.
Italy’s Giovanni Trapattoni battles for the ball with Pele during an international friendly at Milan’s San Siro stadium in 1962.
Brazil went into the 1966 World Cup in England as favourites – expecting to make it three titles in a row.
But Pele found himself bullied, beaten and kicked throughout the tournament and Brazil were knocked out in the group stage.
Following the disappointment of 1966, Pele was determined to get his crown back.
The soccer great wipes away tears of emotion during his wedding on 30 April 1994, to second wife Assiria Seixas Lemos in Recife.
Pele married three times. Here he’s pictured with his first wife, Rosmarie Riccione and their daughter, Kelly Cristina in June 1967.
