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| Pele shows the world his legendary bicicle kick (http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/image_galleri ()) |
"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do" This quote from Pele describes himself very well as he grew up in a poor family and worked his way to the top of soccer players. Soccer player Dodinho and his wife Celeste Nascimento gave birth in October 23, 1940 to Edson Arantes do Nascimento in a poor town named Tres Coracoes in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. (Barnes). He learned soccer from his father who was a professional player until he fractured his leg. At first Edson did not like his nickname "Pele". This is what he said about it, "The people sometime, they don't understand, because always when I was younger, I didn't like the name." He started to enjoy soccer and started playing soccer professionally at Sao Paulo and scored his first goal when he was only sixteen. He ended up being an amazing player and played with the Brazilian National team. He helped Brazil win 3 World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970. He also revolutionized soccer in America and played for the New York Cosmos. Pele is better known for his amazing soccer skills than anything else. However, Pele has done many great things for the world, children, and people in need. He has contributed in many ways working with UNICEF and many other charities. Pele, is considered one of the best soccer players that has ever played scoring 1,280 in 1,360 games during his career. Even though he was a remarkable player that is not the only reason he is a hero; he has shown selflessness, caring, and courage during his life.
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| Pele playing for the New York Cosmos (http://www.theinspirationlibrary.com/peles-princip ()) |
Pele has shown selflessness during not only after he retired from soccer, but during his career as well. During Pele's career, he was helping not only his team by scoring goals, but he was helping people with charity and goodwill work. "On Pele's retirement, J.B. Pinheiro, Brazil's ambassador to the U.N., said Pele had "spent 22 years playing soccer, and in that time he has done more for goodwill and friendship than all of the ambassadors ever appointed"" (Gonzalez). This shows how much Pele thought of other people that did not have all that he did. But instead of just feeling sorry for them, he went out and helped them and has not stopped since. Even though he had the least of time out of all of the ambassadors with playing soccer and practicing, he still had done so much for others, and doing more than any other ambassador. Pele has done many good things for others. He still does a lot of charity work to this day. "Pele also continues to work for UNICEF and other children's organizations and is a noted philanthropist in his native Brazil, the United States, and around the world, often visiting impoverished countries" (Barnes). This shows that Pele is still giving and helping people in need. Being called a philanthropist in a lot of countries is a huge positive thing for anyone's life and Pele has shown that it is a great accomplishment as he has done many prodigious things to deserve it. Pele is a person that is more than just a soccer player; he has done so much for everyone that needs help. He visits impoverished countries and helps around the world and this show how selfless he is and how much he cares.
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| Pele signing autographs for young players (http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/photo/148/591/1/ ()) |
Pele has lived his life with more focus on others than he could ever give himself. Pele worked very hard during his career and got an award for it too. "He was the 1978 recipient of the International Peace Award" (Gonzalez). By winning this award means that you care about peace and therefore other people as well. Pele won many awards for his superior soccer skills, but this one was very special as it involved him helping many people and caring for the world Pele has been a great role model for others and has always been polite to his fans. "Gracious and accommodating to his fans, Pele was idolized throughout the world. Brazilians regularly talked about electing him president, and he was the most recognized figure in the country. In black Africa he was a demigod, the pride of the entire subcontinent. Popes and heads of state asked to meet him, curious about the person who attracted such universal acclaim. A few Brazilians quietly criticized him for not being more of a social reformer, for not taking bolder stands on behalf of his country's poor and blacks, but such activism would have been out of character. Instead, he was an outstanding role model for children, set a good moral example, and devoted much time to his fans. He also returned to his studies and received a university degree" (Brown). Pele is a god to many people and he kept that title to many people as he was always very pleasant to his fans. Pele always has set a good example and this shows how caring he is to be a good person to the people who look up to him. Pele has always cared for everyone and has put everyone in front of him. He is a good role model and has won the International Peace Award.
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| Pele at a conference on a goodwill visit in Asia (http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/photo/139/357/3/ ()) |
For Pele, living had not always been easy and he faced hardships on the way to becoming a great player. He also completed some courageous tasks. Pele might seem like he always had it all and always was rich, but this is very incorrect. "His parents couldn't afford to buy Edson a soccer ball, so his father took an old sock and stuffed it with rags, and the child would run shoeless through the streets and kick the sock" (Barnes). This shows how Pele had started with nothing, not even a soccer ball, to being world famous and an incredible player. This shows his courage and determination to rise up from a small, meaningless town to someone huge who people adored and watched with passion. Many people have devoted a lot of time to goodwill and charity works, but no one could match what Pele did in Nigeria, he did what seemed impossible, stop a war. "In 1967, both sides in Nigeria's civil war declared a ceasefire so they could together watch him play an exhibition game in Lagos" (Barnes). Pele must have been good for him to stop a war just so they could watch him play a game. He was also pretty courageous to play in Nigeria, after all the fans are two sides that are in the middle of a war. But Pele did go there and he did stop the fighting for a day in Nigeria which takes a lot of courage. Pele has not always had it everything and hasn't been living like a king his whole life. In fact it's been more of the opposite. Having to endure through troubled times; Pele has gone a long way. Also to go to a country in the middle of war to play a game is an astounding and courageous act.
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| Pele playing for his national team, Brazil (http://www.football-history.net/who-is-who/p/pele. ()) |
Pele has achieved many amazing feats while playing soccer like winning three World Cups for Brazil. Like he said, success does not happen by accident. You need to work hard and love what you want to do. He has also lived up to those feats off the pitch also. He has worked with many charities and has helped many people in need. He has shown selflessness, caring, and courage during his life. Pele has shown that he is an amazing person on and off the pitch. He has worked with many great charities and is a U.N. ambassador. He is a great role model and possesses many traits that help him become a successful person. From being born with nothing Pele has shown true courage through his life to be where he is today. Pele has been an incredible person to live your life by. He has done what many people believe is impossible to being a poor boy in Brazil that could not afford a soccer ball to a world class player that is considered the best of all time. Pele was even knighted in 1992 and also was recognized as Athlete of the Century in 1999. He has many other awards like being the only player that has won three World Cups. But also he has done so much for everyone who was in need. Here is what he had to say to an interviewer. Ipek Cem: "There are many young people aspiring to what you have become, but for the love of the sport as well: not just to become famous. What do you say to those young people who are just starting out in football, and who are very passionate about it? How can they keep at it?" Pele: "Well, I think the kids always they look forward to be always the big stars. Not only football, any profession. They want to be the best, you know, singer, they want to be the best political, only the stars. But I think sometime the life give you opportunity, and long to be a big star, but you don't need to be a big star, you need to be beautiful, excellent man. Human being. This is the first. And for that, you have to go to school, to try to prepare yourself, to be good with your heart. This is very important. With your conscience. Then, if you have talent, you are going to be anywhere one of the greats, you know, sportive, or businessmen, or political people, or singer. Most important is be a good man. That what I said to the youngster. Kids" (Pele, Global Leaders). Pele has set a high standard for the definition of a hero. He has done what every hero should do, and then some. Pele has accomplished what had only been a dream before and then helped people who had yet to get there. For this Pele has been not been just an inspiration, but a true hero.
Works Cited
Brown, Kendall W., and Brown Kendall W. "Pele." Great Lives From History: The Twentieth Century (2008): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.
"Global Leaders." "": Interview with Pele. 28 Nov. 2007. Global Leaders. 10 Dec. 2012
Page created on 1/10/2013 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 1/10/2013 12:00:00 AM
