Seeing a film of a soccer player known as the greatest player of all time would attract many soccer fans and it’s actually happening with the movie “Pele: Birth of a Legend.”
The film is a biopic independent film coming to the big screen on May 13.
Kevin De Paula is cast as Pele in the movie.
Pele changed the game for soccer also known as futbol in other countries.
While dazzling the crowd with his skills amazing dribbling and passing skills that many pro players couldn’t master, Pele helped win three World Cups for Brazil.
Edson Arantes do Nascimentowas born in Tres Coracoes, Brazil.
Edson’s first name would change to the now known name of Pele.
Growing up in Bauru, Brazil he lived in a poor neighborhood while helping his dad work as a janitor in a hospital.
The only sources of entertainment for a poor boy was to play soccer, barefoot and with a makeshift ball.
At the age of 15, he went pro by joining Santos FC, a professional soccer club.
He scored the first professional goal of his career before he turned 16, leading the league in goals in his first full season before being recruited by the Brazilian national team.
The world finally got to know of Pele in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
Displaying extraordinary speed, athleticism and field vision, the 17-year-old scored three goals in a 5-2 semifinal win over France.
He then netted two more in the finals, a 5-2 win over the host country according to biography.com.
Pele also made history by being the youngest scorer in World Cup history at 17-years old.
The soccer star’s fame grew bigger in the 1960s due to the Nigerian Civil War. During the battle, both sides agreed on a 48-hour ceasefire so they could watch Pelé play in an exhibition game in Lagos.
He won two more world cups in 1962 and 1970 and then retired in 1977 with a total of 1,281 goals in 1,363 games.
In 1999, Pele was honored by the international Olympic committee, while Time Magazine named him in their list of 100 influential athletes.
The Magazine stated when suggested that he rivaled Jesus Christ for international fame?
Pele responded with: “There are parts of the world where Jesus Christ is not so well known.”
Many soccer fans will always suggest that the iconic soccer player biggest rival push came from Diego Maradona.
Maradona was aggressive, arrogant and mostly famous for his drug use and his controversies like scoring the most controversial goal of all time known as “The hand of God.”
He has left a lasting impression on who is the best, while tallying up points on the scoreboard.
However, his accomplishments on the soccer field can never be equaled to Pele’s career.
That goes for Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi that may take the sport by storm, as they will always be measured against the Brazilian who once made the world stop to watch his transcendent play and gave hope to a nation.