4th Grade Biography Report - Pele

In 4th grade, my teacher assigned a biography report.  We could choose anyone we wanted to do, and I chose Pele.  I wrote a report and made a poster.  On my poster, I used color pencil, watercolor and sharpies.  In the middle is Pele's portrait wearing his Brazil national team jersey.  In the background are the different teams he played on and other facts about him.  

This is the report I wrote:  

Pele was the greatest soccer player the world has ever seen.  He is from Brazil and he is known for his speed, balance and his hard, accurate shots with both feet.  He is known around the world and he uses his fame for good causes.  I chose to do my report on Pele because I like soccer and I admire him.

Pele was born on October 23, 1940 in Tres Coracoes, a small town in Brazil.  His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento.  Nobody knows how he got the name Pele, but it started when he was a kid playing soccer.  When he was young, he was poor.  He did not have money for shoes, so he played soccer barefoot.  His neighborhood team was nicknamed, "The Shoeless Ones." 

At age 17, he was the youngest player in World Cup history.  That year, Brazil won the World Cup.  They also won in 1962 and 1970 with Pele leading the team. 

In 1969, Pele scored his 1000th goal.  In the same year, he actually stopped a war!  He went to the Congo, a country in Africa, to play a tournament.  There was a civil war going on and the sides called a truce to see Pele play.  Unfortunately, the war continued after Pele left. 

In 1975, Pele signed a contract with the New York Cosmos for seven million dollars, making him the highest paid athlete in the world at that time.  He said that he did not do it for the money, he wanted to make soccer popular in the USA.  His last game was in 1977.  In his 21 year career, he played 1,363 matches, and scored 1,281 goals. 

After retirement, he used his fame for good reasons.  He became a UNICEF ambassador, helping children around the world.  In 1995, he became Minister of Sports in Brazil.  In 1998, the Pele Law was passed in Brazil, protecting the rights of professional athletes.  He received an International Peace Award in 1980.  In 2000, he was named FIFA Player of the Century. 

I admire Pele because he was an amazing soccer player.  He is also a good man with a good heart.  Pele changed the world by making soccer popular where it was not before.  He is a good role model for other athletes because he uses his fame for good causes.  He is a good role model for kids by being a good sport and playing his best.