Pele's Influence in Soccer

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Pelé Influences the Beautiful Game Many people do not know that much about soccer. If asked about Pelé, almost everyone will say they have heard about him. Pele is one of, if not the most, influential persons to come along and change the game for the better forever. Professional soccer in the United States was not a huge attraction. In the United States, attendance to professional soccer games was well below all other major sport franchises. Average attendance to a New York Cosmos game for the years just before Pelé arrived from 1971 to 1974 was 4,540 people (NY Cosmos, Wiki). There was not that one spark or big name or attraction or marquee team or player to bring people to the stadiums to watch the sport. Once Pelé arrived on the NASL scene, everything changed. How could one person have such a big impact so quickly? To come into a struggling sport in the United States and turn it around that fast, it is a great history. Although soccer has always been a foreign sport, Pelé’s flair and style of play contributed to the recognition of soccer as a whole world sport. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known to the world as the famous Pelé, was born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil to João Ramos do Nascimento and Dona Celeste Arantes. His birth certificate though says his name is Edison with the i and states he was born on the 21 of October of 1940. While his birth certificate states that information, Edson without the i, which it actually is, claims he was born on the 23 of October of 1940. Growing up in Três Corações, he was struck with poverty. When he was little, he would play soccer with a sock stuffed with Arredondo 2 newspaper because he could not afford an actual soccer ball (Facts of Pelé, goal.com). As a child, he too... ... middle of paper ... ...nowledged as the greatest footballer of all-time by many. What he did for the sport while he played and after his retirement is unmatched. There was even a 48- hour cease fire during the Nigerian Civil War so that both sides could watch him play. To have an impact like that on the world through soccer is amazing. Pelé continues to influence young people everywhere. Works Cited Page “New York Cosmos.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 1 November 2013. Wikimedia Foundation. 7 November 2013 Web Ozzie Gonzalez. “Edson Arantes "Pelé" Nascimento.” www.latinosportslegends.com. 11 November 2013 Web "Pele." 2013. The Famous People website. Nov 11 2013, 04:17 “70 Facts About Brazil Legend Football Icon Pele.” Goal.com. 21 October 2010. 11 November 2013. Web. “Pele speaks about FDC.” icfds.com. 2013. 11 November 2013 “the Player.” santosfc.com. 2011. 11 November 2013. Web.

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