James A. Graham, a sports writer who has won multiple awards, was granted unique access to Pelé, and he used this to write a biography that traces Pelé's remarkable rise from his modest beginnings in Brazil to his debut in an international match at the age of sixteen. Because of his extraordinary athleticism, speed of thought and execution, and astonishing ball control, he is the only player in the history of the sport to have played a role in the victory of three World Cups and to have scored more than 1,200 goals during his senior career, a record that is extremely unlikely to ever be equaled or even surpassed. He is the only player to have ever appeared in three World Cup finals.
Despite the remarkable achievements of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar, as well as legends like Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff, Pelé is still considered to be the greatest footballer of all time. This is a homage to a world-class sporting hero, a wonderful sportsman, and someone who continues to this day to be an inspiration to millions of others. It has been edited and updated to bring the story up to date completely.