Born into extreme poverty in Brazil’s southern state of Minas Gerais, Edson Arantes do Nascimento was able to turn his life around (and that of his family) through his sensational ability on the pitch from a very young age. The football legend known only as Pelé signed his first professional contract in 1956 at the age of 15 with prestigious Brazilian club, Santos F.C. The following year, he made his first appearance with the Brazil National Team at age 16, During his prolific international career, Pelé won three FIFA World Cup titles (1958, 1962 and 1970) – the only player ever to do so for his home country. He is the Brazil’s all-time leading scorer in international competition with 77 goals in 91 caps. As far as his professional career, Pelé stayed loyal to his homeland and the club that signed him as a teenager, playing for Santos until 1974 and finishing with an astonishing 618 goals in 636 games.
Presented here is a Pelé match-worn Santos jersey dating to 1971 when the sport’s G.O.A.T. had just passed age 30 and was nearing the end of his long reign with the club. The white shirt made of 100% cotton is tagged behind the collar by apparel manufacturer Athleta of São Paulo and displays obvious wear with sweat staining, soil spotting, and significant pilling to the fabric. The black and white “S.F.C.” team crest patch with two yellow stars is sewn on the left chest and the iconic No. “10” that Pelé made famous is sewn on the back. The ‘1’ has faded quite a bit more than the blue ‘0’, presumably from getting more light exposure when displayed by its previous owner. Brazilian National Soccer Team Technical Coordinator, Marcos Moura Teixeira, who has signed a letter of provenance, had the jersey in his personal collection for decades.
MEARS has authenticated the jersey and verified its size and specs as being consistent with Santos F.C. jerseys from that period – the team shifted from collared to crew neck shirts in the early 70’s. It goes without saying how few Pelé Santos gamers ever surface, so this is a can’t-miss opportunity for any serious football collector.