This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/27/2023
In the pantheon of sport, only a select few could dare to stand beside this man, and none could stand above him. Not Ruth, nor Jordan, nor Ali. Pelé was the best of the best in the game that boasts more enthusiasts and more participants than any other in the world. From the humblest of beginnings in a small village in Brazil called Tres Coracoes, to the pinnacle of soccer fame, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, more widely admired by the world as Pelé, exhibited skills beyond any seen before or since.
Featured here is one of the final jerseys he wore as a player for Brazil's Santos Futebol Clube, shortly before leaving that nations's league for good to close out his career with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The white durene shirt, with a ribbed crew neck and ribbed sleeve ends, has a black velvet "S.F.C." patch over the heart and the iconic number "10" on the back in similar fabric. It shows adequate wear throughout, although the faint brown horizontal lines (front & back) appear to be from post-use storage or display. A thick black marker inscription fills the chest reading (translated), "For Mr. Louis F. Meyer, your friend, Edson Pelé." Collar tagging is from Sao Paulo, Brazil-based sporting goods manufacturer Athleta. Comes with a MEARS letter (graded Authentic) and a JSA LOA for the autograph and inscription.