What was the nickname of Pelé's father?

Pelé’s father was nicknamed Dondinho. His full name was João Ramos do Nascimento, and he was a Brazilian footballer who played mainly as a centre-forward.

Dondinho’s career was far less internationally famous than his son’s, but he was an important influence on Pelé’s football education. He played for clubs including Atlético Mineiro and teams in the towns where the family lived. Pelé learned the game in a football-minded household and often credited his father’s example.

Dondinho was especially noted for his heading ability. Pelé later recalled that his father had scored five headed goals in a single match, a story that became part of the family’s football lore. Dondinho also helped shape Pelé’s ambitions after Brazil’s painful 1950 World Cup defeat.

The nickname is sometimes confused with Bilé, the goalkeeper whose name is commonly linked to the origin of Pelé’s own nickname. Bilé was not Pelé’s father. Dondinho was his father’s football nickname, while João Ramos do Nascimento was his given name.