Pelé stands among the very greatest footballers in the history of the game, a Brazilian forward whose blend of power, balance, vision and finishing has rarely been approached. He spent the bulk of his career with Santos, transforming the club into a global attraction and winning a vast array of domestic and continental honours alongside a staggering personal goal tally.
On the international stage he became the defining figure of his age, winning the World Cup three times with Brazil across 1958, 1962 and 1970, the last with a side widely considered the finest ever assembled. He later brought his gifts to the North American game before a long retirement as one of sport’s most recognisable ambassadors. His name became shorthand for footballing genius itself.