Born to a poor family in Tres Corcoes, Pelé began playing for a local team as a teenager, and made his debut for Santos in 1956. Prolific and gifted, Pelé scored his 1,000th goal in 1969 and continued with the club until 1974. His career spanned 1,363 matches, scoring 1,282 goals, including 139 in the 1958 season alone.

Pelé is an icon in Brazil and around the world, and is a former Brazilian ambassador for sport, as well as currently acting as a FIFA Ambassador against racism. He has worked for children's causes through UNICEF. He has been a patron of ABC since 2002 and has donated a number of signed items.