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FIFA World Cup only three-time individual winner, Pele turns 82 today

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Flashback: France ’98 – Pele, King of Soccer (KS) and Kunle Solaja, King of Sports (KS)

One of the greatest players to have played football and triple World Cup winner with Brazil, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Brazilian football legend Pele, turns 82 this Sunday.

Pele won the World Cup three times – 1958, 1962 and 1970 – no other player in the world has accomplished that feat. In fact the two greatest footballer of the current era, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have never won the World Cup and possibly have Qatar 2022 as their last chance.

Besides, Pele, with 77 goals,  still holds the top spot for Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, but PSG’s Neymar Jr sits closely behind with 70 goals.

Pele also collected a slew of trophies for Brazilian club Santos from 1956-74, including 10  Sao Paulo state league titles, six Brazilian championship, two Copa Libertadores titles and the Intercontinental Cup in 1962 and 1963.

The footballing great has stamped his name in the history books he still holds the record for the youngest player to win a World Cup.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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