Birth of Pelé in Três Corações
Pelé was born on 23 October and grew up in a footballing family before becoming one of the sport's most celebrated players.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé Biography and Timeline
Follow Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé through 45 dated historical records for Brazil.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
45Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1940–1994Years on this page
1940
1956
First Senior Santos Goal
The teenager scored his first senior goal for Santos and displayed the anticipation that would define his prolific club career.
Santos Senior Career Begins
Pelé joined Santos as a teenager and made his senior debut, beginning a long relationship with the coastal Brazilian club.
1957
Campeonato Paulista Breakthrough
Pelé developed into a prolific scorer in São Paulo state football during his first full season with Santos.
1958
First World Cup Appearance Against Soviet Union
Pelé entered Brazil's starting side against the Soviet Union and provided youthful attacking movement in a 2-0 victory.
World Cup Quarter Final Winner Against Wales
Pelé improvised a close-range finish against Wales to send Brazil into the semi-finals of the World Cup.
France Semi Final Goal Sequence
Pelé scored three times against France in the semi-final, turning a competitive contest into a decisive Brazilian victory.
1959
Santos Paulista Championship Attack
Pelé's exceptional scoring consistency made Santos a major domestic force as its team toured and competed extensively.
South American Championship Leading Scorer
Pelé finished as leading scorer at the South American Championship, although Brazil finished behind Argentina in the standings.
1960
Santos Paulista Title Campaign
Pelé inspired Santos in the Campeonato Paulista, part of the sustained run of state championships that established the team's dominance.
1961
Maracanã Solo Goal Against Fluminense
Pelé carried the ball through defenders before scoring a celebrated individual goal against Fluminense at the Maracanã.
Santos National Championship Success
Pelé led the attack as Santos won the Taça Brasil, beginning an exceptional sequence of national championship triumphs.
1962
Opening World Cup Goal Against Mexico
Pelé scored against Mexico in Brazil's first match of the 1962 World Cup before injury curtailed the rest of his tournament.
World Cup Muscle Injury Against Czechoslovakia
Pelé suffered a thigh injury while attempting a shot against Czechoslovakia and played no further part in Brazil's successful tournament.
Benfica Intercontinental Cup Lisbon Hat Trick
Pelé scored three goals against Benfica in Lisbon as Santos captured the Intercontinental Cup with an emphatic away victory.
Santos Libertadores Final Against Peñarol
Pelé scored twice in the deciding Copa Libertadores playoff as Santos overcame Peñarol to win its first continental title.
1963
Copa Libertadores Final Against Boca Juniors
Pelé scored at La Bombonera as Santos beat Boca Juniors and successfully defended the Copa Libertadores title.
Santos Retain Intercontinental Championship
Pelé was a key figure in the Santos side that defeated AC Milan after a deciding playoff to retain the Intercontinental Cup.
1964
Santos National and State Dominance
Pelé's striking helped Santos remain the benchmark of Brazilian club football through further domestic titles.
1965
Santos Fifth Consecutive Taça Brasil
Pelé contributed to Santos winning a fifth straight Taça Brasil national championship during an era of extraordinary club success.
1966
World Cup Goal Against Bulgaria
Pelé scored from a free kick in Brazil's opening World Cup match against Bulgaria, a victory that proved insufficient for knockout qualification.
Portugal World Cup Injury and Exit
Portugal's physical marking left Pelé struggling with injuries as Brazil lost 3-1 and exited the tournament in the group stage.
1967
Santos Begin Another Paulista Crown
Pelé remained the central figure in a Santos attack that returned to the top of São Paulo's state championship.
1968
Santos Win National Robertão Competition
Pelé helped Santos win the Roberto Gomes Pedrosa tournament, a national championship contested by leading Brazilian clubs.
1969
Thousandth Goal Penalty at Maracanã
Pelé scored a penalty against Vasco da Gama that he and contemporary recordkeepers counted as the thousandth goal of his career.
Santos African Tour and Public Reception
Pelé's appearances on Santos tours drew enormous crowds and international attention far beyond Brazil's domestic competitions.
1970
Headed Chance Saved by Gordon Banks
Pelé directed a firm header toward goal against England, but Gordon Banks produced an exceptional save to preserve a temporary clean sheet.
Dummied Uruguay Goalkeeper Mazurkiewicz
Pelé ran around the Uruguay goalkeeper without touching Tostão's pass, but his shot went narrowly wide in the World Cup semi-final.
Third World Cup Winners Medal
Pelé became the first male player to be part of three World Cup-winning squads after Brazil defeated Italy 4-1 in the final.
World Cup Final Assist for Carlos Alberto
Pelé laid the ball into the path of Carlos Alberto, who drove in Brazil's fourth goal against Italy in one of the tournament's most famous moves.
1971
Final Brazil International Against Yugoslavia
Pelé made his final senior appearance for Brazil in a friendly against Yugoslavia before a large Maracanã crowd.
1972
Santos International Exhibition Tour
Pelé continued touring with Santos, bringing the team's attacking football to international audiences through high-profile friendlies.
1973
Santos Paulista Title Shared
Pelé celebrated another São Paulo state championship with Santos after a controversial penalty shootout against Portuguesa.
1974
First Retirement From Santos
Pelé stepped away from regular competitive football with Santos after nearly two decades as the club's defining player.
1975
Cosmos Debut Against Dallas Tornado
Pelé made his Cosmos debut in a widely watched match against Dallas Tornado and scored to mark the beginning of his American career.
New York Cosmos Signing
Pelé joined the New York Cosmos, transforming international attention toward the North American Soccer League.
1976
Second Cosmos Season Raises NASL Profile
Pelé's presence helped the Cosmos draw bigger crowds and expand the visibility of association football across the United States.
1977
Soccer Bowl Championship With Cosmos
Pelé helped the Cosmos defeat Seattle Sounders in Soccer Bowl 1977 to win the North American Soccer League title.
Cosmos and Santos Farewell Exhibition
Pelé played one half for the Cosmos and one for Santos in an emotional farewell match marking the end of his playing career.
1994
World Cup Ambassador Role
Pelé appeared as a prominent international ambassador while the United States hosted the World Cup, helping promote football to new audiences.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.