Pele was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on Oct. 23, 1940, in Tres Coracoes, Brazil. Growing up playing soccer in the streets of his hometown, he demonstrated remarkable talent, and at age 15 he tried out and became a player for the Brazilian Santos professional soccer club.

Pele made his international debut at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where he scored three goals in a 5-2 semifinal win over France. In this image, 17-year-old Pele jokes with fans at a World Cup event, on June, 1958.
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