Pelé

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: African-Brazilian

Pelé was a Brazilian professional footballer, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. A forward, he played for Santos and New York Cosmos, and the Brazilian national team. 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 Jonas De Aquino Ribeiro. Jonas was born in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Pelé’s paternal grandmother was named Ambrosina Rosa Da Conceição. Ambrosina was born in Minas Gerais.

Pelé’s maternal grandfather was named Jorge Lino Arantes (the son of Custódio Arantes and Jacinta).

Pele’s maternal grandmother was Maria Naves (the daughter of Jeremia Ferreira Naves and Maria da Conceição).

Source: Genealogy of Pelé – http://www.geni.com