The legacy of Pelé: From his secret car collection to his friendship with Maradona
Published on Dec 30, 2022 at 1:13 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Dec 30, 2022 at 1:13 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Brazil legend Pelé has died aged 82.
Widely regarded as the best soccer player in history, Pelé was good friends with Maradona and was also a secret car collector.
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Born in 1940 in a small town near Belo Horizonte, Pelé won the World Cup a record three times.
In 1958, when he was just 18 years old, he scored 58 goals for Santos and six goals at the World Cup.
Both records are still unbeaten.
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This, by the way, is a recurring theme in Pelé’s career.
He also still holds the Guinness World record for most career goals scored in professional soccer with 1,281.
Pelé and Maradona
Pelé and Maradona were born in different eras, and their careers could not have been more different.
Except for a brief stint with the New York Cosmos, Pelé spent his entire career at Santos in Brazil.
Meanwhile Maradona, who was 20 years younger than Pelé, played mostly in Europe.
However, most pundits and fans mention them in the same breath.
Pelé and Maradona knew each other, and they were friends.
When Maradona died in November 2020, Pelé was one of the first people to express their condolences.
He wrote on Twitter: “One day, I hope we can play ball together in heaven”.
They had something else in common, they were both brand ambassadors for Hublot.
It’s crazy to think that a Swiss watch brand succeeded where everyone else failed and actually put these two legends in the same room together.
Pelé and his secret car collection
Pelé was also a secret car collector.
Like other people in his position, the Brazil legend was gifted most of the cars he owned.
At the height of Pelé’s fame in the 1960s and 1970s, automakers were competing with one another to get the star’s attention.
Mercedes-Benz came out on top.
The German manufacturer gave Pelé a 250 W114 and a 280-S.
Volkswagen gave him a Beetle and Willys-Overland, a now defunct automaker from the US, gave him an Aero sedan.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
