Pele
Hindustan TimesOn October 23, 1940 in Tres Corações, a city in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil, a legend was born. Today, in a world of 7 billion people, soccer is the foremost sport and Pele remains at the center of “the beautiful game” — where he is universally recognized, respected and revered in every corner of the globe. He went on to win another two World Cups in 1962 and 1970, making him the only person in the world today with three Jules Rimet trophies to his name. Not only is Pele the all-time leading scorer of Santos FC and the Brazil National Team, but he is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the sport. From his humble beginnings, to his unmatched athletic feats, to his post-career influence and impact on every continent – Pele lives with great honor and pride of his birthplace in that, “Where I was born, where I grew up and where I played football – they have given me three hearts too.” Named one of the “Top 20 Most Important People of the 20th Century” and “Football Player of the Century”, Pele today maintains his commitment to the sport and to society by fulfilling various roles as spokesperson, ambassador and philanthropist.