In which city was Pelé born?

Pelé was born in Três Corações, a municipality in Minas Gerais, Brazil. He was born there on October 23, 1940, before his family later moved to Bauru in São Paulo state, where he grew up.

Três Corações means “Three Hearts” in Portuguese, a name associated with the municipality’s three nearby waterways. The city remains closely connected with Pelé’s legacy and has commemorated him with landmarks and public tributes. His birthplace is sometimes mistaken for Santos because Santos became the home of his club career, or for a major Brazilian city such as Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo.

Pelé joined Santos as a teenager in 1956 and spent most of his Brazilian club career there. That connection made Santos internationally famous, but it was not his birthplace. His early life in Minas Gerais and Bauru shaped the player who would later lead Brazil to World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970.