Pele, the legendary Brazilian footballer, has a stunning net worth of $115 million. However, it is not surprising to see such a sum labeled to him. All this money came from being the best at what he does, that is, play football.
Lauded as the greatest Brazilian to ever grace the pitch and one of his time’s best players, Pele was the highest-earning athlete of his time.
People were more than eager to splash some cash to watch this icon display his magic on the field.
At that point in time, contrarily, earning a lot of money basically from football alone was arduous.
Football remains the top sport that has a hundred times more viewers than any other, game but the relentless effort and sheer will to be the best has made Pele who he is today.
Now, let’s start with quick facts about Pele.
Pele | Quick Facts
Full name | Edson Arantes do Nascimento |
Popular As | Pele |
Nicknames | Dico, Pele |
Birthdate | October 23, 1940 |
Birthplace | Três Corações, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil |
Education | Metropolitan University of Santos |
Religion | Christian |
Nationality | Brazilian |
Ethnicity | Afro-Brazilian |
Horoscope | Libra |
Father’s name | João Ramos do Nascimento (Dondinho) |
Mother’s name | Celeste Arantes |
Siblings | A brother (Zeca Nascimento) and a sister (Maria Lúcia Nascimento) |
Age | 81 years old |
Height | 173 cm (5 feet 8 inches) |
Eye color | Black |
Hair Color | Black |
Marital Status | Married |
Wives | Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi (m. 1966–1978)Assíria Nascimento (m. 1994–2008) Marcia Aoki (m. 2016) |
Children | Seven (Kelly Cristina, Jennifer, Edson, Joshuwa, Celesta, Sandra Machado, and Flavia Kurtz) |
Profession | Football PlayerHumanist |
Position | ForwardAttacking Midfielder |
Jersey no. | No. 10 |
Teams | Brazilian National TeamSantos New York Cosmos |
Net worth | $115 million |
Social media presence | InstagramTwitter |
Last Update | May, 2022 |
Pele Net Worth | Insight to A Legendary Life
Previously known as Edson Arantes do Nascimento hailing from the municipality of Tres Coracoes, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Pele was born on 23 October 1940.
He is the son of Dondinho, a Fluminese-based footballer, and Celeste Arantes. Likewise, Dondinho and Celeste named their son after the great inventor, Thomas Edison.
As the years went by, Edson’s friends nicknamed him Pele after the Vasco da Gama goalkeeper, Bile. Although the names don’t match, it was initially a way of teasing Edson as a result of mispronunciation.
Moreover, Pele, as a kid, lived in destitution near Bauru, located in Sao Paulo. To earn a living, he would work as a servant. Also, Pele first came to admire football through his father.
Unable to collect money to buy a proper ball, he would wrap socks and newspaper and tied them with a string.
With an innate passion, Pele first joined amateur sides like Sete de Setembro, Canto do Rio, São Paulinho, and Amériquinha. Notwithstanding these stints, the Brazilian honed his skills at indoor games.
Pele Net Worth | Football Career Salary & Incomes
Historically speaking, nobody can manage to rule over the throne that Pele sits on. Only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are closer to challenging the Brazilian milestone with a seemingly unbreakable record.
Another milestone he set is scoring the most football goals for a single club, Santos FC. The icon played for two decades at Santos FC throughout his career, and upon nearing his retirement, he moved to New York Cosmos and played for three full seasons.
With a highlight of a 37-year long career, Pele amassed a $15 million sum. Declared as a national treasure by then Brazilian President only aided to boost his reputation and significantly bump his paycheck.
While this may be true, the actual salary Santos FC paid Pele is not available to the public. Likewise, when the Brazilian national treasure started playing for New York Cosmos, he pocketed almost $6 million by the end of his contract.
Added to that, Pele earned nearly $14 million through endorsement deals.
The amount he earned during his playing career might seem pale on present-age footballing contracts and wages, but let us remind you he was the highest-paid athlete accounting for every sport.
Even at the age of 79, the legendary player still earns more than what we make in a whole year. In total, Pele accumulated $15 million from football alone.
Pele | Jersey
Pele wore jersey number 10 for the Brazilian national team and also few other clubs. Since the legend of football wore the number, number 10 is considered important in Brazil and in other places as well.