Profile Text
Pelé in 2014, photo by Celso Pupo /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Edson Arantes do Nascimento
Date of Birth: 23 October, 1940
Place of Birth: Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Date of Death: 29 December, 2022
Place of Death: Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil
Ethnicity: Brazilian [African, as well as more distant Portuguese Azorean]
Pelé was a Brazilian professional footballer, and actor. A forward and attacking midfielder, he played for Santos and New York Cosmos, and the Brazil national team. He was widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. He was Minister of Sports, from 1 January, 1995 to 30 April, 1998.
Pelé was the son of Celeste Arantes and Dondinho (João Ramos do Nascimento), a professional footballer, who played as a centre forward. His brother was professional footballer Zoca (Jair Arantes do Nascimento). He was named Edson after American inventor Thomas Edison. He was nicknamed “Dico” by his family, and later nicknamed “Pelé” at school, because of his pronunciation of the name of local footballer Bilé. Pelé was raised in Bauru, São Paulo, in poverty.
Pelé was married to Marcia Aoki, until his death. She is a Japanese-Brazilian importer of medical equipment. He had a daughter with Anizia Machado; a daughter with journalist Lenita Kurtz; three children, including professional footballer and football coach Edinho, with his former wife Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi; and two children, including professional footballer Joshua Nascimento, with his former wife, psychologist and gospel singer Assíria Lemos Seixas.
Pelé’s paternal grandfather was named João Ramos Do Nascimento. Jonas was born in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Pelé’s paternal grandmother was Ambrosina Rosa da Conceição (the daughter of Zacharias dos Santos Machado and Flauzina Cândida de Andrade). Ambrosina was born in Campos Gerais, Minas Gerais. Zacharias was born in Minas Gerais, the son of Francisco José Dos Santos.
Pelé’s maternal grandfather was Jorge Lino Arantes (the son of Custódio de Arantes Gonzaga and Jacinta Ponciana da Cruz). Jorge was born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais.
Pelé’s maternal grandmother was Maria Ferreira Naves (the daughter of Jeremias Ferreira Naves and Maria Eugênia da Silva). Maria was born in Três Corações do Rio Verde, Campanha, Minas Gerais. Jeremias was born in Minas Gerais, the son of Domencianno Ferreira Borges and Rita Esmeria de Jesus. Pelé’s great-grandmother Maria was born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais.
Source: Genealogy of Pelé – http://www.geni.com