Who is known as the "King of Soccer"?

Pelé is widely known as the “King of Soccer.” The Brazilian forward, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, earned the royal nickname because of his extraordinary skill, scoring ability, international fame, and influence on the sport.

Pelé became a global star with Santos, the Brazilian club where he played most of his career. He also led Brazil to three FIFA World Cup victories—in 1958, 1962, and 1970—a record no other player has matched. His combination of speed, balance, improvisation, two-footed finishing, and aerial ability made him one of soccer’s most complete attackers.

He was especially important in popularizing Brazilian football around the world. Pelé scored more than 1,000 goals in official and unofficial matches combined, although exact totals vary depending on which games are counted. In 2000, FIFA named him one of its joint Players of the Century alongside Diego Maradona.

The nickname is sometimes rendered “King of Football” or “O Rei,” Portuguese for “The King.” “King of Soccer” is the standard English quiz answer and refers to Pelé rather than to a formal title awarded by FIFA.