PelÃ(c)

How did a young boy born into poverty become not only an international soccer star but a celebrity who visited and dined with kings and presidents? Where did the passion that fueled his success originate? This book examines the life of Pelé to find the answers. Pelé is not simply an extraordinarily talented athlete who achieved incredible success on the soccer field; his performances inspired millions of soccer fans as well as individuals outside the sport around the world. During the peak of his career, Pelé was arguably the most famous person in the world-at a time when there was no Internet or social media to help build sweeping international awareness of a pop star. This work is the most up-to-date examination of Pelé's life, covering his personal history from childhood, his star-studded career as a multi-time World Cup champion playing for Brazil, his experiences in the United States playing for the New York Cosmos, as well as Pelé's more recent, current, and future activities as ambassador for Brazil when it hosts the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016. All readers-ranging from the completely uninitiated who do not even recognize Pelé's name, to die-hard soccer fans and players-will gain a full appreciation of the greatest soccer player of all time.

Lew Freedman is a long-time, prize-winning journalist for such newspapers as the Philadelphia Inquirer, Chicago Tribune, Anchorage Daily News and Wyoming's Cody Enterprise. Specializing in sports and the outdoors, he has written more than 100 books. He lives in Columbus, Indiana.

Series Foreword Introduction Timeline: Events in the Life of Pelé Chapter 1 Early Life Chapter 2 Early Fame Chapter 3 The Biggest Star in Brazil Chapter 4 World Cup 1962 Chapter 5 Marriage, Problems, and Super Fame Chapter 6 World Cup 1966 Chapter 7 More Than a Soccer Player Chapter 8 1,000 Goals Chapter 9 World Cup 1970 Chapter 10 Easing into Retirement Chapter 11 Gentleman Businessman Chapter 12 New York, New York Chapter 13 Cosmos II, Retirement II Chapter 14 The Rest of the Story Appendices: Pelé Quick Facts, Professional History, Notable Goals, and Individual Worldwide Honors Bibliography Index