{"id":1293296,"date":"2022-12-30T17:11:53","date_gmt":"2022-12-30T17:11:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1293296"},"modified":"2022-12-30T17:11:53","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T17:11:53","slug":"pele-legendary-career-in-numbers","status":"publish","type":"cult-corner","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/pele-legendary-career-in-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Pele’s legendary career told in numbers: Just how good was Brazil’s emblematic forward?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brazil and football legend Pele has passed away at the age of 82.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The three-time World Cup winner leaves behind a legacy that transcends sporting achievement. He is the emblematic star of Brazilian football, a forward immortalised in the pantheon of sporting greats, an icon recognised worldwide.<\/p>\n

Debate will rage on about who the greatest of all time is, but Pele is unequivocally in the conversation alongside Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff and Alfredo Di Stefano.<\/p>\n

It was the legendary Ferenc Puskas who once mused: \u201cThe greatest player in history was Di Stefano. I refuse to classify Pele as a player. He was above that.”<\/p>\n

As the World Cup Trophy returned to South America for the first time in two decades earlier this month — a trophy unprecedentedly held aloft by Pele on three occasions — football waves goodbye to a man who embodied “The Beautiful Game”.<\/p>\n

To many he is still the baby-faced Samba<\/em> sensation lighting up Sweden in 1958, to others he is simply the greatest who has ever laced up their boots.<\/p>\n

In honour of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, we’ve looked back at his glittering, trophy-laden career in numbers. There will never be another like him…<\/p>\n

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Pel\u00e9 is the only player in football history to win the World Cup three times.<\/p>\n

A true legend of the game. ?\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/DpmbJLh5pX<\/a><\/p>\n

— Squawka (@Squawka) December 29, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n