Which Brazilian president served while Pelé was Minister of Sports?

Fernando Henrique Cardoso was the Brazilian president who served while Pelé was Minister of Sports.

Cardoso became president on 1 January 1995, and Pelé joined his government that same month as Brazil’s Minister Extraordinary of Sport. Pelé remained in the post until April 1998, during Cardoso’s first term.

Pelé’s political role was unusual for a global sports icon. As minister, he supported reforms intended to professionalize Brazilian sport and reduce entrenched problems in football administration. Those efforts helped produce the legislation popularly known as the Pelé Law.

A common mix-up is Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who became president in 2003. By then, Pelé had already left government. José Sarney and Itamar Franco were also former presidents, but neither was in office during Pelé’s ministerial tenure.