Edson Arantes do Nascimento - 'Pelé' - is the only player to have won three World Cups. He announced his astonishing talent to the world as 17-year-old goalscoring winner with Brazil in 1958, repeated the feat in 1962, and then completed the hat trick with arguably the greatest team of all time in 1970. Scorer of over 1,200 goals in a 22-year career, and a hero to supporters of Santos, Pelé blazed a trail for soccer in North America in two seasons with New York Cosmos, before finally retiring in 1977. In his ambassadorial roles for his country, the UN and UNICEF, Pelé continues to enjoy the love and admiration of millions around the world, fitting acclaim for the man who described and defined football as 'the beautiful game'.
