Pelé--legendary footballer and humanitarian--explores the sport's
recent history and shares his most inspiring experiences, heartwarming
stories, and hard-won wisdom.
"I know in my heart that soccer was good to me, and great to the
world....I saw, time and again, how the sport improved countless
millions of lives, both on and off the field. For me, at least, that's
why soccer matters."
The world's most popular sport goes by many names--soccer, football, the
beautiful game--but fans have always agreed on one thing: The greatest
player of all time was Pelé. Before Messi, before Ronaldo, before
Beckham, Pelé had a stunning twenty-year career, where he was heralded
as an international treasure. His accomplishments on the field proved to
be pure magic: an unprecedented three World Cup championships and the
all-time scoring record, with 1,283 goals. Since retiring, he has
traveled the world as soccer's global ambassador, relentlessly promoting
the positive ways soccer can transform young men and women, struggling
communities, even entire nations.
This is Pelé's legacy, his way of passing on everything he's learned and
inspiring a new generation. In Why Soccer Matters, Pelé details his
ambitious goals for the future of the sport and, by extension, the
world.
