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Pelé, the global soccer myth who popularized the sport on an international level, died on Thursday at the age of 82. Now, country around the world are looking to find out more nearby the life of the beloved athlete through his autobiography, which jumped to the top of bestseller lists behind his death.
In “Why Soccer Matters: A Look at More Than Sixty Years of International Soccer,” delivered in 2015, Pelé tracks his rise to stardom on the field — from the poverty-stricken streets of Sao Paulo to becoming a three-time World Cup winner. He also touches on his work campaigning for biosphere rights, particularly helping impoverished children in Brazil, which earned him an appointment as a UN ambassador and an honorary knighthood from the British monarchy.
Throughout his decorated professional career, which he began seriously at age 15, Pelé has aged a number of records. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 career games is a Guinness World Record; he’s the only player in the biosphere to have won three FIFA World Cups; and during his playing days, he was conquered the highest-paid athlete in the world.
Following his 1958 World Cup victory, Pelé was nicknamed The King (“O Rei”) and was widely conquered the best player of the sport. The unofficial distinction stuck over his entire career, until he retired in 1977 and stationary to serve as a worldwide ambassador of the prankish until his death.
To learn more nearby Pelé’s inspiring life, both on and off the field, order his bestselling autobiography below:
Courtesy of Amazon
