'Black Stars of Soccer' is an ongoing series in which we'll highlight some of the incredible personalities who, through on and off-field achievements, have impacted the sport and its growth within the global Black community. There's no more fitting person with whom to start than the Brazilian icon and soccer's first globally household name—Pelé.
It’s important to us as we celebrate and discuss Black soccer culture to understand the context and nuances that create our circumstances. Few in the history of sport have had as momentous an impact as Edson Arantes do Nascimento—the man dubbed O Rei ('The King' in his native Portuguese).
A champion of the poor. An inspiration to the Black community in his native Brazil and around the world. There are a million and a half ways to pay homage to Pelé—a man whose aura at the height of his career through the day of his passing gives us reason to reflect on the man and the player who's helped shape modern soccer.
Pelé, a Black Star.
You're likely to have heard of his exploits on the field and how he’s one of the very few men with a legitimate claim to the title of greatest footballer ever.
Professional debut at 15 years old. 92 appearances for Brazil. Three FIFA Men's World Cup titles—his youngest at 17 years old. 92 career hat tricks. 1,283 career goals.
But it also wouldn’t be hyperbolic to suggest that Pelé is the biggest athlete in history in terms of cultural relevance and impact. It's a bold claim, but there's plenty of evidence to back it up.
Stopping a war in Nigeria
In 1969, legend has it Pelé stopped a civil war between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra when he and his Santos FC teammates came to play the country's national team.
This was a war that lasted three years and claimed nearly 1 million lives. Throughout it’s duration, diplomats and emissaries tried in vain to stop the war. And it came to a complete and utter halt in a 48-hour ceasefire because Pelé and Santos landed in the country.
Pelé was appointed a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 1994—a role that recognizes people with incredible influence to contribute to world peace.
'Stopping a war’ is something few other athletes—if any—will ever have on their résumé. But such was the gravity and aura of Pelé.
Here's some of the game footage, as roughly 10,000 locals come together to watch the Nigerian Select XI tie Santos.
An unprecedented impact in America
So, you can imagine, a player of this magnitude would be a dream to have come and play in the United States—even in the latter stages of his career.
In the past two decades we’ve seen how David Beckham and later Lionel Messi plying their trade in America has lead to incredible upticks in the game’s growth. Both have had immeasurable contributions, but there's only one player who started the trend.
In 1999, Pelé was voted the 'Athlete of the Century' by the International Olympic Committee.
In 1975, Pelé left retirement to come play for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League. In the season before Pelé arrived, the Cosmos’ largest home crowd was a tick above 8,000. Watch some of his debut for the Cosmos below.
Pelé’s arrival had an immediate impact. His debut match had 10 million viewers—a record at the time. By the 1977 season, his final with the Cosmos, the team averaged nearly 43,000 people across 16 home games. Better yet, three games featured crowds over 70,000, including a farewell match in which 80,000 people attended.
Before Pelé would impact America, America had an impact on him. His real first name, Edson, was inspired by American inventor, Thomas Edison.
These numbers were unprecedented given soccer's limited popularity at the time. His move to America and the North American Soccer League also inspired contemporary legends like Franz Beckenbauer (Germany), Johan Cruyff (Netherlands), and Carlos Alberto (Brazil) to make the move to the States as well.
Pelé is the most prevalent figure in sparking soccer’s rise in modern day America.
Celebrating Pelé's excellence
It would be fair to say that as far as global icons go, Pelé was legitimately the first Black athlete to reach that echelon of fame and reverence.
His playstyle was unique in the sport's history, but in many ways it was akin to his presence and impact off the field. Just like how his off-field presence was global and all-encompassing, Pelé was a player who was simultaneously the best dribbler, goalscorer, and creator in an all-in-one package. He roamed freely across the field to spark magic in an instant.
In pop culture, Pelé's name has featured in the lyrics of more than one song. One example—Pras' hit, 'Ghetto Superstar.'
So, we need to make sure to celebrate and pay homage to a man who laid much of the foundation of the current soccer scene in America.
Pelé—a Black Star like no other.
It's impossible for us to list his accolades and achievements, which are as long and as vast as the number of goals in his career. After succumbing to colon cancer at age 82 in 2022, BBC News summed up Pelé's life and career:
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