Here is a look at the records and accolades that came Pele’s way during his career and beyond:
FIFA World Cup Winner: 1958, 1962, 1970
FIFA World Cup Best Young Player: 1958
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball (Best Player): 1970
FIFA World Cup Silver Ball: 1958
France Football’s Ballon d’Or: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1970
Campeonato Brasileiro S�rie A: Winner in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968
Copa Libertadores: Winner in 1962, 1963
Elected Citizen of the World by the United Nations: 1977
International Peace Award: 1978
FIFA Order of Merit: 1984
Elected UNESCO’s Champion of Sport: 1993
Winner of France Football’s World Cup Top 100 in 1930 to 1990: 1994
Football Player of the Century, elected by France Football’s Ballon d’Or Winners: 1999
TIME Magazine: One of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century: 1999
Greatest Player of the 20th Century, named by World Soccer: 1999
Athlete of the Century, elected by International Olympic Committee (IOC): 1999
World Player of the Century, voted by the IFFHS: 2000
South American Player of the Century, voted by the IFFHS: 2000
FIFA Player of the Century: 2000
Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award: 2000
Global Citizen Award, by the World Economic Forum: 2018
Ballon d’Or Dream Team: 2020
Knight of the Order of Rio Branco: 1967
Commander of the Order of Rio Branco (after he scored the 1,000th goal): 1969
RECORDS SET BY PELE
Most goals for Brazil’s national football team: 77 (95, including unofficial friendlies). Tied with Neymar.
Most goals in the Intercontinental Cup: 7
Most goals for Santos: 643 (in 659 competitive games)
Most goals scored in a single Campeonato Paulista season: 58 (in 38 competitive games,1958)
Most goals in a calendar year (recognised by FIFA): 127 (1959)
Most hat-tricks in world football: 92
Most career goals in world football (including friendlies): 1,283 (in 1,363 games)
Most FIFA World Cup winners’ medals: 3 (1958, 1962, 1970)
Youngest winner of a FIFA World Cup: Aged 17 years and 249 days (1958)
Youngest goal scorer in a FIFA World Cup match: Aged 17 years and 239 days (Brazil vs Wales, 1958)
Youngest player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup: Aged 17 years and 244 days (Brazil vs France, 1958)
Youngest player to play in a FIFA World Cup Final: Aged 17 years and 249 days (1958)
Youngest goal scorer in a FIFA World Cup Final: Aged 17 years and 249 days (Brazil vs Sweden, 1958)
Youngest player to start a knockout match at a FIFA World Cup
Youngest player to reach five FIFA World Cup knockout stage goals
Youngest goal scorer for Brazil’s national football team: Aged 16 years and nine months (Brazil vs Argentina, 1957)
The first player to score in three successive FIFA World Cups
