Words matter. These are the best Pele Quotes, and they’re great for sharing with your friends.
Sport is something that is very inspirational for young people.
When I was a footballer, I surrounded myself with footballers. We were all friends. But in Brasilia you don’t know who your friends are. It can be a dangerous place.
Everybody knows my life. I won a lot of tournaments and scored more than 1,000 goals, won three World Cups but I could not play in Olympic Games.
I have to trust something that gives me power; I have to believe in something, but in my career I have a lot of moments I cannot explain with God.
Brazil’s always had great players, both at home and abroad, but we need to put all that talent together and mould a team out of it.
When I retired, at that time I had a lot of proposals to play in Europe, England, Italy, Spain, Mexico. But I said no, after 18 years I want to rest, because I want to retire.
To be a striker you need to be in good shape.
Over the years I’ve learnt to live with two persons in my heart. One is Edson, who has fun with his friends and family; the other is the football player Pele. I didn’t want the name. ‘Pele’ sounds like baby-talk in Portuguese.
At 17, I already had responsibility because I took care of my family, but in the football I was young; I wasn’t experienced or the captain – I was just in the team.
I always think that I would have become an actor if I hadn’t been a soccer player.
In 1962, my injury wasn’t because of violence; I just kicked the ball and it happened. And that was OK because Brazil won; I didn’t have any difficulty in accepting that. I still got a medal because I’d played two games.
When you play against dirty players or very tough players, it’s easy to escape because you know what they’re going to do. But when the player is tough but intelligent, it’s much more difficult.
Edson is the person that supports Pele. Edson is the base. Pele just comes and adds the face.
The level of football in England is the top. English football is the leader in the world.
I played for Santos at 16, and we had an excellent team, so it helped a lot. And then I played for Brazil at the Maracana against Argentina. So I get more experience. This was one year before the World Cup, and it made a lot of difference.
Of course, my father was a soccer player. He used to play very good. Then, when I was young, eight or nine years old, ten years old, I just want to be like my father.
I represent Brazil all over the world. Wherever I go I have to do my best, to not disappoint the Brazilian people. And that I’ve done.
Lionel Messi is a wonderful player. Very skillful. Highly intelligent. He is not good in the air.
Wherever you go, there are three icons that everyone knows: Jesus Christ, Pele and Coca-Cola.
I am constantly being asked about individuals. The only way to win is as a team. Football is not about one or two or three star players.
I sometimes lie awake at night and wonder why I am still so popular and, to be honest, I don’t know.
Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.
If I pass away one day, I am happy because I tried to do my best. My sport allowed me to do so much because it’s the biggest sport in the world.
The first World Cup I remember was in the 1950 when I was 9 or 10 years old. My father was a soccer player, and there was a big party, and when Brazil lost to Uruguay, I saw my father crying.
A penalty is a cowardly way to score.
No doubt, I am earning more money with my endorsements than I ever earned playing soccer.
The bicycle kick is not easy to do.
I always had a philosophy which I got from my father. He used to say, ‘Listen. God gave to you the gift to play football. This is your gift from God. If you take care of your health, if you are in good shape all the time, with your gift from God no one will stop you, but you must be prepared.’
I’ve come to accept that the life of a frontrunner is a hard one, that he will suffer more injuries than most men and that many of these injuries will not be accidental.
Enthusiasm is everything. It must be taut and vibrating like a guitar string.
