Pelé the man is gone, but the legend will remain forever. The Brazilian icon passed away in Sao Paulo yesterday while receiving treatment for colon cancer, he was 82 years old. Pelé mesmerized the world and became sports’ first true global icon.
From the United States to Congo everyone knew who Pelé was, an amazing feat considering that some countries had yet to install television in their daily lives. Most had read about Pelé or seen him in newsreels before ever seeing him play a complete match. Still the accolades surrounding Pelé were known the world over and the eventual three-time FIFA World Cup champion would get his place in soccer history.
While Lionel Messi is the player to have won the most Ballon d’Or, according to France Football Pelé and Messi could have been tied at seven had the rules been different.
Pelé could have won seven Ballon d’Ors
In the study by France Football had the Ballon d’Or allowed for players achievements calculated outside of Europe and had the title been open to non-European players then Pelé would have won seven.
The years in question where Pelé would have earned the honor of soccer player of the year would have been: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964 and 1970. Other great South Americans such as Garrincha (1962), Mario Kempes (1978), Diego Maradona (1986 and 1990) and Romário (1994) could have won the title on the years noted next to their names.
Eventually France Football allowed the Ballon d’Or to be open to all nationalities and George Weah became the first non-European to win the Ballon d’Or in 1995. Eventually Lionel Messi would capture seven, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five.