Pele Home Sports & Recreation Soccer Pelé Brazilian athlete Alternate titles: Edson Arantes do Nascimento By The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Dec 29, 2022 Article History Recent News Dec. 29, 2022, 2:17 PM ET - Pele, the Brazilian soccer star who became a national treasure and a worldwide phenomenon, died Dec. 29, 2022 in his native country. Pele's combination of incomparable soccer skills, radiant smile, and belief in the transformative power of the game he loved, allowed him to transcend the world of athletics. He was 82. Top Questions Why is Pelé significant? How did Pelé become famous? What are Pelé’s achievements? How was Pelé influential? Pelé Pelé Pelé, byname of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, (born October 23, 1940, Três Corações, Brazil—died December 29, 2022, São Paolo, Brazil), Brazilian football (soccer) player, in his time probably the most famous and possibly the best-paid athlete in the world. He was part of the Brazilian national teams ...