Edson Arantes Do Nascimento Pele of Brazil celebrates the victory after winnings the 1970 World Cup in Mexico match between Brazil and Italy at Estadio Azteca in Mexico (Picture: Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Brazilian football icon Pele has died at the age of 82, it has been confirmed.

The legend of the game had been in hospital in Sao Paulo since November 29 following complications with colon cancer, which was diagnosed in September 2021.

Pele was one of the most famous names in sport and was loved around the world for his stunning performances on the pitch.

But exactly which teams did Pele play for during his 21 year spell in football?

We take a trip down memory lane to look at the clubs Pele graced throughout his career.

Who did Pele play for?

Pele was taught football by his father in the streets of Sao Paulo, using a sock stuffed with newspaper and tied with string, or a grapefruit as an improvised football.

As a child, he played for a host of amateur clubs including Sete de Setembro, Canto do Rio, São Paulinho, Amériquinha and Bauru Athletic Club.

Pele’s natural talent earnt him a trial at Brazilian side Santos, with one of his youth coaches promising the Santos directors that Pele would be the ‘greatest football player in the world’.

After impressing in the trial, Pele was offered a professional contract by Santos despite being just 15 years old.

Brazilian footballer Pele in training for Brazil’s match against England. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

Three months later, Pele made his debut in the senior team, marking the occasion with a goal in the 7-1 victory over Corinthians de Santo Andre.

Pele would remain at Santos for the next 18 years, during which time he scored 643 goals in 656 competitive appearances, a club record which still stands to this day.

Pele’s tally for the club was the highest by any player for a single club in the history of football, before Lionel Messi broke the record for Barcelona in December 2020.

Pele won a whole host of trophies at Santos, including six league titles and two Copa Libertadores, which is the South American equivalent of the Champions League.

Whilst playing for Santos, Pele scored 77 goals in 92 caps for Brazil between 1957 and 1971.

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After scoring on his debut against Argentina at the Maracana aged just 16, Pele went on to win three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

His 12 goals at the World Cup makes him the sixth joint-highest goalscorer of all time in the competition, whilst he remains the only player to have won the trophy three times.

Pele retired from Brazil in 1971 and from club football in 1974, but continued to play occasionally for Santos in official competitive matches.

One year later, he came out of semi-retirement to sign for the New York Cosmos in the North American Soccer League in the middle of the 1975 season, aged 34.

The Brazilian scored 64 goals in 107 games for the New York Cosmos and helped them win the North American Soccer League Bowl in 1977.

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Pele’s final match before retirement was an exhibition game between the New York Cosmos and Santos in October 1977.

He played the first half for the New York Cosmos, and the second for Santos, with the final goal of his career a 30-yard free-kick for the Cosmos.

During the second half rain began to fall, prompting a Brazilian newspaper to produce the headline the following day: ‘Even the sky was crying.’

MORE : How many goals did Pele score in his career?

MORE : How many times did Pele win the World Cup with Brazil?

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