Pelé changed soccer – and Brazil. Can his legacy continue to heal divisions?
If soccer is the sport that unites Brazilians across extreme economic, racial, and social inequalities, it’s Edson Arantes do Nascimento, the forward best known as Pelé, who acted as the glue.
As thousands of Brazilians made the pilgrimage to say goodbye to Pelé during his 24-hour public wake in the southeastern Brazilian city of Santos this week, most memories, whether of his more than 1,200 goals scored or his key role in winning three World Cup titles for Brazil, were inseparable from his impact off the pitch.
A poor Black child who used to shine shoes, Pelé had a rise to stardom in the late 1950s that included overcoming acute racial and economic barriers. Before he came to define the beauty of soccer for fans around the globe, few Black athletes
