The legend of Brazil, known as the greatest footballer of all time due to his status as the country's spiritual home, has died at the age of 81.
The simple fact that he could make football a spectacle of natural grace and beauty when he missed as much as he scored makes him a great player.
One of the game's first global personalities, he scored a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 games and was a money-spinner at the New York Cosmos, where he spent the last five years of his career.
Wherever football is played, the name of the player will always be associated with it.
Waldemar de Brito, a former Brazil international, was the coach at Bauru FC when he was a boy. He joined his mentor's former club after being noticed by Brazil's elite.
He made his senior debut at the age of 15 on September 7, 1956, scoring the first of more than 1,000 career goals in a 7-1 win againstCorinthians.
In the 1960's and 1960's,Santos dominated not only in Brazil but also further afield, winning the Copa Libertadores in 1962 and 1963.
He wore the famous Brazil shirt for the first time on July 9, 1957, at the age of 16 years and nine months, when he scored the first goal for his country in a 2-1 loss to Argentina.
When the Intercontinental Cup was played between the winners of the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores, there was only one winner.
In the Maracana, he scored two goals and in the Stadium of Light, he scored a hat- trick.
The undisputed title of the game's greatest player can be found in his homeland of Brazil, where he scored 619 goals in 668 appearances, and where he was associated with the white shirt of Santos, for whom he scored 619 goals.
When he was a teenager, he scored two goals as Brazil beat Sweden in the World Cup final and then scored the opening goal in the final against Italy.
In the modern game, Edson Arantes do Nascimento will be remembered as the first and the greatest because of his "number 10" role and his shirt.
Argentina will make the case for the late Diego Maradona when the argument of who was the game's finest is made.
In an argument that will never be fully settled to the satisfaction of either of these great South American adversaries, Argentines will argue that Lionel Messi is a better player than Maradona was.
One example of Maradona's dark side was when he was ejected from the 1994 World Cup in the US after testing positive for a drug. Messi was part of the Argentina team that won the World Cup in 1992.
When he was kicked out of the 1966 World Cup in England, it was one of the most disappointing moments of his life.
He left the scene of the Portugal defeat at Goodison Park draped in a blanket after a number of fouls left him limping and his knee heavily bandaged. During the match, he continued to throw himself into the physical challenges to prove that he was brave and that he was also brilliant.
When he injured his knee in the first game of the World Cup, he vowed never to play in another tournament and the game was grateful for that.
The World Cup win by Brazil in 1970 was the highest point in the life of the man. He was the leader of a dream team that has become a part of the game's history. He was accompanied by names such as Jairzinho, Tostao and Gerson, as well as the great captain and leader CarlosAlberto.
The image of the shirtless Pele being carried aloft by team-mates and supporters after the World Cup was won in Mexico City is seared on the memory, along with that famous picture of another shirtless embrace with England captain Bobby Moore.
When he failed to score in the 1970 Mexico World Cup, there was testimony to his brilliance, but he was used to this day as arguably the greatest to have ever graced the game.
In Brazil's opening group game against Czechoslovakia, the ball was received from several yards inside the center circle in his own half and spotted the keeper off his line.
In an elegant, instinctive swing of his right boot, he sent the ball in a high arcs towards goal, landing inches wide, with the panicking Viktor making a scramble to get out of the way.
In Guadalajara, where the semi-final was played, the ball ran past the pair when Pele raced at full speed on to Tostao's pass, but still had the presence of mind to run past the keeper and score. Perhaps the greatest dummy in World Cup history was sold to the keeper.
It was a pity that the angle was too tight for Pele to score but the moment is still relived whenever the World Cup is played. It's incredible.
Before the days of transfers around the globe, the best years of his club career were served out entirely in Brazil, but it's mind-blowing to think how much he would have commanded in this era.
The goal of the North America Soccer League was to spread the football word to the United States. The focus of attention was on the great German Franz Beckenbauer, but he was overshadowed by the rise of the Brazilian soccer player, nicknamed "Pique".
His name alone added instant credibility. The curtain came down on his career in October 1977 after he had led the team to the title in his third and final season.
A standing that lived on after he retired was that of football's first global superstar. Images of Brazil's great teams are conjured up by the mention of his name.
He traveled the globe as an ambassador for the game, in demand around the world, and also by large organizations who wanted to bask in his fame and standing.
He received a lifetime achievement award at the 2005 sports personality of the year ceremony
They paid tribute to Beckenbauer before he received the award. Beckenbauer said that he was the best player of all time.
The great Brazilian was back in England in March 2015 on a promotional visit, and he received a standing ovation from all corners of the stadium when he appeared on the pitch at half-time.
He was an ambassador for Brazil and appeared at the closing ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics before they were handed over to Rio.
No-one played "The Beautiful Game" better than Pele.
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