PELE: My Life and the beautiful Game

Pele - real name Edson Arantes de Nascimento - is believed by many millions around the world to be the greatest footballer the world has ever seen. Yet most of these football fans never saw him in action on the field of play - as he played during an era when live television, or rather even ordinary football, was hardly shown on television. History has recorded however that Pele graced four World Cup finals, and scored in all of them; more important he was a member of three World Cup winning Brazilian sides (and played key roles in the 1958 and 1970 versions) This book is a "warts and all" story of the first part of the life of Pele, and his achievements in football. One says "warts and all" because the great man even records things like his first sexual experiences, visiting a prostitute etc... His agony after discovering his investments after his major playing career was over had largely "disappeared", is palpable. Pele comes across as a very jovial, sensible guy in this work; he has lots of good things to say about his fellow footballers, and apparently does not harbour grudges against even those who tried to undermine, or bring him down (for example his reaction to strong suggestions that his eyesight was poor). In the beginning, we live through the poverty of his family whilst he was very young, and later on when he starts his footballing career. His exploits at the 1958 World Cup finals when he was only 17 years old; his injury problems at the next two World Cup finals, and the apogee for him at the 1970 finals. His first marriage to "a white woman" and his views surrounding this - that in his native Brazil racial discrimination is very limited. Pele explains why after retirement from football he decided - was convinced - to go and play professional football in the American league of that time. We soak in his great achievement of scoring his 1000th goal, etc. The book is quite comprehensive with an appendix on all the goals scored by Pele during his major career. On the whole, an excellent, interesting read for lovers of football interested in the "king of football" - (and note that it was long after the career of Pele was over that world icons like Maradona and Messi emerged)