Pele's records

During his 21-year career from 1956 to 1977, Pele – the legend who passed away on December 29th – set countless records, many of which still stand today, despite the emergence of many new superstars.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento – better known worldwide as Pele and nicknamed "The King" – is one of the greatest icons in the world of football.

Pele attended the one-year countdown event before the 2018 World Cup in Moscow, Russia in June 2017.

Pele began his career at the age of 15 at the Brazilian club Santos and quickly captivated fans worldwide with his speed, agility, dribbling ability, high accuracy, and sharp finishing.

In 1961, when Pele was just 21 years old, the government of Brazilian President Janio Quadros declared the striker an "official national treasure" to prevent European clubs from recruiting him. Then came the famous incident in 1969 when two sides in the Nigerian civil war agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire just to watch Pele play, during a tour of Nigeria with Santos. These events demonstrate how highly the King of Football was valued from the very beginning of his career. Below are some of the records he set during his 21 years of playing football.

The only player to have won the World Cup three times.

Pele won the world's premier national team tournament three times: twice in a row in 1958 and 1962, and finally in 1970. The 1958 World Cup was Brazil's first World Cup victory – the most successful nation with five World Cup wins.

This is one of Pele's many Guinness World Records. In total, 21 players – including Pele – have won the World Cup more than once. These include 16 Brazilians, four Italians, and one Argentinian.

A host of other records at the World Cup

Pele made his World Cup debut in 1958 at the age of 17 years and 234 days. He immediately made his mark by assisting Vava's goal in a 2-0 victory against the Soviet Union, helping Brazil advance as group winners. In the quarter-finals, Pele scored the only goal to help Brazil beat Wales 1-0. This made him the youngest player to score in a World Cup, at just 17 years and 239 days old.

Pele scored three goals in Brazil's 5-2 semi-final victory over France, becoming the youngest player to score a hat-trick at the World Cup. In the final, Pele continued his impressive form with a brace to help Brazil beat Sweden 5-2, thus becoming the youngest player to appear and score in a final, as well as the youngest player ever to win the World Cup, at just 17 years and 249 days old.

Not only was Pele a sharp goalscorer, but he could also play the role of a perfect playmaker, putting his teammates in the best positions to score. He had 10 assists in three World Cups – a record that remains unbroken.

Pele also holds the record for the most assists in a single World Cup, with six assists in Mexico 1970. The Brazilian legend had one assist in the 1958 final and two in the 1970 final. This makes him the only player to have three assists across World Cup finals.

Pele also holds the record for most assists in the World Cup knockout rounds with 6, the same as Lionel Messi.

The top scorer in the history of Santos and the Brazilian national team.

Pele kisses the Jules Rimet trophy – the trophy for the 1970 World Cup champions. Photo:FIFA

Pele achieved a performance of nearly one goal per game, scoring 643 goals in at least 659 matches for Santos - the club he played for for almost two decades from 1956 to 1974.

Since then, no one has scored as many goals as Pele for the Brazilian club. He won six Brazilian league titles, two Copa Libertadores, two Intercontinental Cups, and one Intercontinental Super Cup with Santos.

The number 643 also made Pele the record holder for most goals scored for a single club for 46 years, until Lionel Messi set a new milestone on December 22, 2020. At that time, the Argentinian star broke Pele's record with his 644th goal for Barca.

Pele also holds the record for most goals scored in the history of the Brazilian national team with 77 goals in 92 matches. At the 2022 World Cup, Neymar equaled Pele's record, but it took him 124 matches to score 77 goals, 32 more than Pele.

The player with the most goals in his entire career.

Pele is recognized by both Guinness World Records and FIFA as the football player with the most goals in his career, but no specific number is given.

According to Guinness World Records, Pele scored 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches, including goals in friendlies, amateur games, reserve team matches, and national youth league games.

Pele scored a spectacular overhead bicycle kick goal in a Santos match in September 1968. (Photo:)AP

FIFA and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) acknowledge that Pele scored 1,281 goals, while Santos club historian Odir Cunha told ESPN in March 2021 that Pele had scored 1,282 goals throughout his entire career.

Pele himself claimed to have scored 1,283 goals in his career, and even posted this information online.Twitter2015.

Regardless of the exact number, FIFA recognizes the Brazilian legend as the only player to have scored 25 goals for the national team before turning 18, and he reached this milestone in 20 matches.

Scored over 100 goals in two calendar years.

Pele (left) scores against goalkeeper Claude Abbes in Brazil's 5-2 victory over France in the 1958 World Cup semi-final. Photo:PA Images

FIFA recognizes that Pele scored 127 goals in 1959 and 110 goals in 1961. It is unclear whether this will help the "King of Football" hold the record for most goals scored in a single calendar year.

The Guinness World Records recognized Messi as the record holder for scoring 91 goals in 2012. That same year, the Zambian Football Association announced that their star player, Godfrey Chitalu, had scored 107 goals for his club and national team in 1972.

Later, FIFA spokesperson Alex Stone toldBBC SportThey stated that "it's not an official FIFA record," because they don't keep records of domestic achievements. Therefore, neither Messi nor Chitalu are recognized by FIFA as the holder of the record for the most goals scored in a calendar year.

Numerous individual titles and awards

In 1999, Pele was voted the best player of the 20th century by the International Federation of Football Statistics and History (IFFHS). He was also honored with the Olympic Medal – the highest honor awarded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – in 2016 at the Pele Museum in Santos.

Pele received the International Peace Prize in 1978 and the Order of Honor from the British Empire in 1997 for his work as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. Pele was also named FIFA Player of the Century in 2000, alongside the late Argentine legend Diego Maradona.

However, Pele never won the Ballon d'Or – the most prestigious individual award in football. But the Ballon d'Or wasn't awarded to non-European players until 1995. Furthermore, no player playing outside Europe was eligible for the Ballon d'Or until 2007 – the year the magazine re-awarded it.France FootballThey have expanded the voting for the award to include all players worldwide.

Pele was visibly moved and wept upon receiving the Honorary Ballon d'Or at the FIFA Ballon d'Or awards ceremony on January 13, 2014, in Zurich, Switzerland. Photo: FIFA

Therefore, neither Pele nor Maradona ever won the Ballon d'Or. However, in 2013, Pele was awarded the honorary Ballon d'Or Prix d'Honneur by FIFA.

Pele also received the inaugural Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, and was one of three athletes – along with boxer Muhammad Ali and baseball player Jackie Robinson – to be included in the magazine's list of 'Most Important People of the Century'.TIMEin 1999.

The Brazilian legend was also recognized by FIFA for coining the term "The Beautiful Game" for football.

Hong Duy