The soccer world was blindsided by his untimely death. Having started on the pitch from a tender age, he accrued immense wealth due to being one of the most highly paid players during that era and providing financial security for himself as well as his family.
He is said to be worth an estimated $100 million at the time of his death.Pele’s influence extended far beyond the soccer field, and he was often seen in commercials, endorsement deals and as a brand ambassador for many international companies. He also served as a United Nations ambassador for ecology and environment protection during his later years.
On December 29th, 2022 a tragic event shook the soccer world – Pele, who had courageously fought against his declining health for months, tragically passed away in Sao Paulo hospital at the age of 82 due to complications with colon cancer. This day will be remembered forever as one of sadness and sorrow amongst fans all around the globe.
At a young age, he showed immense potential and quickly emerged as one of the premier soccer players on the planet. Consequently, many renowned clubs wanted his talent – but amazingly enough all he played for were Santos (Brazil) and New York Cosmos (United States).
| Net Worth: | $100 Million |
| Date of Birth: | Oct 23, 1940 |
| Place of Birth: | Três Corações |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Profession: | Actor, Football player, Film Producer |
| Nationality: | Brazil |
The soccer community is in grief. Pele, a legend of the game and beloved figure beyond it, has sadly passed away at 82 years old. He will be remembered fondly as an incredible player but also for his endearing character off-the-field. What was Pele’s net worth?
Pele was an absolute icon for those who dreamt of becoming a soccer player, and there is no doubt he stands among the greatest players of all time. He won three FIFA World Cups during Brazil’s golden era, genuinely cementing his legacy in football history.
What was Pele’s Net Worth and Salary?
Pelé was renowned, admired and beloved all around the world. His legacy still lives on today as one of the most iconic figures to ever live in his time; with an estimated net worth of $100 million at the time of his death on December 29, 2022 at age 82. During his peak he had been crowned highest-paid athlete in history, yet after retiring from professional football Pelé’s tremendous earning power continued through numerous business endorsements – mainly with Puma – that earned him tens of millions more dollars.
A revered hero in Brazil, Pelé holds the distinction of being the country’s all-time top scorer with 77 goals. His prolific career shattered records by scoring 541 goals in the highest division and a total of 1297 across all tournaments. After retiring from professionally playing soccer, he became an international ambassador for football and advocated for those living poverty stricken lives back home.
Career
Pelé’s career earnings are estimated to have been around $80 million. He earned a salary of over $250,000 per season during his time at Santos, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in history. Pele also earned money from endorsements and other public appearances, including commercials.
At the tender age of fifteen, Pelé amazed his Santos FC coach with his talents and subsequently signed a contract in 1956. His professional debut was remarkable – he scored during that very first match! Within one year’s time, no less than sixteen years old, he had become the leading goal scorer across Brazil’s entire league system. The Brazilian national team soon came calling for him to play at both the 1958 and 1962 World Cups – an impressive feat by any standards!
At only 16 years of age, he had already become the highest scorer in all of Brazil, and his meteoric rise to fame quickly brought him into contention for playing on the 1958 and 1962 Brazilian national teams. Teams from around the world clamored over themselves to sign Pelé, yet Santos and Brazil held tightly onto their star player. His team kept up their excellence throughout this time period by clinching both the Intercontinental Cup (1962) and Copa Libertadores (1963). The popularity of Pelé even extended far beyond football when two opposite sides involved in Nigeria’s Civil War agreed upon a 48-hour cease-fire simply so that they could witness him play at a stadium located in Lagos!
Following the 1974 season, Pelé accepted to be a part of the New York Cosmos team in spite of never having played for any heavyweights such as Inter Milan or Real Madrid (many invitations were made).
As the young player gained admirers throughout his career, Pelé stayed true to Santos and Brazil. His team achieved remarkable success by winning both the 1962 Intercontinental Cup and Copa Libertadores in 1963. Such was Pelé’s fame that even two opposing sides of a Nigerian Civil War declared a 48-hour ceasefire so they could watch him play at Lagos’ own stadium!
Though the great Pelé was offered a chance to take his talents to soccer-powerhouses such as Inter Milan and Real Madrid, he chose instead to sign with the New York Cosmos after 1974. He opened up doors for other superstars in soccer like Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto by leading the way there making his move before them.
Pelé’s influence is undeniable and has acted as an inspiration for many other legendary players such as George Best, Johan Cruyff, and Bobby Moore who have decided to play in America. In 1977, he achieved a remarkable feat: garnering the attention of over 62K people at one Cosmos match held at Giant Stadium – this marked the first time soccer was appreciated by a large American audience!
By joining the Cosmos, Pelé acted as a catalyst for other fantastic players, like Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto to follow suit. Furthermore, he facilitated numerous iconic names in soccer such as Bobby Moore, Johan Cruyff and George Best to also play in America. Notably enough his presence alone had an immense impact on American audiences who started taking notice of soccer—this was evidenced by the 62k-strong crowd at Giant Stadium during one of the leagues games under his management!
At the onset of his international career, Pelé scored a goal in the 1958 World Cup final to lead Brazil over Sweden and bring home their first-ever victory. He continued to make an impact despite being injured for virtually all of 1962’s tournament – which Brazil also won – then made a breathtaking return for the 1970 edition where he led them to another championship after suffering defeat four years prior.
Launching his international career with a bang, Pelé secured the 1958 World Cup for Brazil with two goals in the final against Sweden. Although hindered by injury throughout most of 1962’s tournament, he still had a hand in securing Brazil’s second title win. After an unsuccessful 1966 campaign, Pelé came back to cap off his fairytale story and claim one last trophy at 1970’s competition.
Ambassadorial Work
Since retiring from sports, Pelé has proudly taken on the role of ambassador. In 1992, he was assigned by the United Nations as an Ambassador for Ecology and Environment; two years later in 1994, UNESCO appointed him a Goodwill Ambassador.
Controversy
Following his retirement from professional football, Pelé became the focus of various controversies. In 2001, he was alleged to have been a part of embezzling $700,000 from UNICEF and in 1994, due to an ongoing feud with FIFA’s President at that time – Joao Havelange – he was barred from attending the World Cup draw held in Las Vegas.
In 2016, Pelé made a $30 million lawsuit against Samsung Electronics for unlawfully using his image and violating his right of publicity. This ensued following the release of an advertisement in 2015 which featured someone resembling Pelé performing one of his famed bicycle kicks and appearing to endorse them – when this wasn’t true.
Real Estate
In 2018, the transforming of Pelé’s humble $156,000 abode located in The Hamptons was complete after decades of renovations. Reportedly sold for an astonishing 2.85 million dollars to prospective buyers, this now lavish 3,500-square-foot estate offers beach access as a major bonus! At 77 years old and retired back home to Brazil, it is safe to say that Pelé will no longer be taking advantage of his luxurious property – but he can certainly take pride in what once was just a dream come true!
Relationships
After Pelé tied the knot with Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi in 1966, he and his first wife welcomed three children together. Nonetheless, after sixteen years of marriage, they divorced in 1982. That same year he began a romance with Brazilian TV presenter Xuxa who was 17 when she started dating him at that time. In 1994, Pelé married Assiria Lemos Seixas – a psychologist – to whom he gave birth to two more children before divorcing her fourteen years later in 2008.
After a long courtship, at the ripe age of 73, Pelé declared his intention to marry Marcia Aoki. The couple tied the knot in 2016 and have since been happily married. Furthermorre, due to multiple extramarital relationships throughout his life, Pelé has sired several children over time.
