King In Life

Pelé is honoured during a short ceremony before Pelé Eterno, a documentary about his life and playing years, premiers at the Municipal Theatre in Rio de Janeiro.

FIFA’s centenary celebrations take place at London’s Natural History Museum. To mark the event, Pelé is selected to compile a list of the 100 greatest living footballers to appear in an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. Unable to limit himself to 100 names, he instead chooses 125, labelling the task impossible as he could have chosen 100 players from his home country alone.

Pelé becomes the first sporting figure from South America to carry the Olympic torch. After receiving the flame from the mayor at the Maracanã Stadium, the footballing legend carries it through the streets of Rio de Janeiro.

Pelé publicly breaks down in tears as he speaks about his son’s arrest for alleged drug trafficking. Despite being devastated by the news, Pelé states that if found guilty Edinho ‘must suffer the consequences’.

Pelé wins a lifetime achievement award at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards.