While we are all anxious for the upcoming World Cup, it is impossible to talk about the beautiful game without paying homage to the man who defined it: Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known globally simply as Pelé. For those new to the sport, Pelé is not just a retired player; he is the gold standard, the global icon who transformed football from a game into a universal language. Born in 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil, Pelé grew up in poverty. As a child, he could not afford a f