Editing Pelé (section)

==Personal life==
=== Relationships and children ===

{{hidden|style=float:right; clear:right; width:22em; margin-left:1em; border:1px #aaa solid;
|title=Children
|content=
* By Anizia Machado
** Sandra (1964–2006)
* By Lenita Kurtz
** Flávia (born 1968)
* By Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi
** Kely Cristina (born 1967)
** Edson (born 1970)
** Jennifer (born 1978)
* By Assíria Lemos Seixas
** Joshua (born 1996)
** Celeste (born 1996)
}}

[[File:Pelé%27s_jersey_donated_to_Pope_Francis.JPG|thumb|upright|A signed jersey donated by Pelé to [[Pope Francis]]]]

Pelé married three times and had several affairs, fathering seven children in all.<ref>{{cite news |title=Brazilian Soccer Great Pelé Has Died at 82 |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/brazilian-soccer-great-pele-has-died-at-82/4019419/ |access-date=29 December 2022 |publisher=NBC New York |date=29 December 2022 |archive-date=29 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229190809/https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/brazilian-soccer-great-pele-has-died-at-82/4019419/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1966, Pelé married Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/photos/pele-years-24098835/image-80478619|title=Pele Through the Years|access-date=29 December 2022|website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229061515/https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/photos/pele-years-24098835/image-80478619|archive-date=29 December 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> They had two daughters, Kely Cristina (born 13 January 1967), who married Arthur DeLuca, and Jennifer (b. 1978), as well as one son, [[Edinho (footballer, born 1970)|Edson]] ("Edinho", b. 27 August 1970).<ref name=StyleCaster>{{cite news |last1=Pham |first1=Jason|title=Pelé Had 7 Kids With 4 Women Before His Death—See All His Children & Where They Are Now |url=https://stylecaster.com/pele-kids/ |access-date=31 December 2022 |work=StyleCaster |publisher=SHE Media |date=30 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231114441/https://stylecaster.com/pele-kids/ |archive-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> The couple divorced in 1982.<ref name="marriage_hatrick">{{cite web|url=http://www.latintimes.com/brazilian-soccer-legend-pele-scores-marriage-hat-trick-video-202215|title=Pelé Scores A Marriage Hat Trick|work=Latin Times|date=20 August 2014|access-date=10 January 2016|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082510/https://www.latintimes.com/brazilian-soccer-legend-pele-scores-marriage-hat-trick-video-202215|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2014, Edinho was sentenced to 33 years in jail for laundering money from drug trafficking.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pele's son Edinho jailed for 33 years for Drug Trafficking|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/06/peles-son-edinho-jailed-for-33-years-for-drug-trafficking/|agency=Indo-Asian News Service|publisher=biharprabha.com|date=1 June 2014|access-date=1 June 2014|archive-date=2 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602200744/http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/06/peles-son-edinho-jailed-for-33-years-for-drug-trafficking/|url-status=live}}</ref> On appeal, the sentence was reduced to 12 years and 10 months.<ref>{{cite news |title=Brazil: Footballer Pele's son Edinho in jail over drug trafficking charges |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-39084502 |access-date=26 July 2018 |work=BBC News |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108110335/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-39084502 |url-status=live }}</ref>

From 1981 to 1986, Pelé was romantically linked with TV presenter [[Xuxa]]. She was 17 when they started dating.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Simón|first1=Yara|title=A Look Back at Xuxa and Pelé's Controversial Relationship|url=http://remezcla.com/lists/culture/a-look-back-at-xuxa-and-peles-controversial-relationship/|publisher=Remezcla|date=28 August 2015|access-date=16 July 2017|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082202/https://remezcla.com/lists/culture/a-look-back-at-xuxa-and-peles-controversial-relationship/|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 1994, Pelé married psychologist and [[Gospel music|gospel]] singer Assíria Lemos Seixas, who gave birth on 28 September 1996 to twins [[Joshua Nascimento|Joshua]] and Celeste through fertility treatments.<ref name="StyleCaster" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Yapp |first1=Robin |title=Doctor who helped Pele father twins on run after assault convictions |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/8276949/Doctor-who-helped-Pele-father-twins-on-run-after-assault-convictions.html |access-date=31 December 2022 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=23 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110127111631/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/8276949/Doctor-who-helped-Pele-father-twins-on-run-after-assault-convictions.html |archive-date=27 January 2011 |location=London}}</ref> The couple divorced in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=Brazilian Soccer Legend Pelé Scores A Marriage Hat Trick [VIDEO]|url=http://www.latintimes.com/brazilian-soccer-legend-pele-scores-marriage-hat-trick-video-202215|work=Latin Times|date=9 March 2018|access-date=10 January 2016|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082510/https://www.latintimes.com/brazilian-soccer-legend-pele-scores-marriage-hat-trick-video-202215|url-status=live}}</ref>

Pelé had at least two more children from affairs. Sandra Machado, who was born from an affair Pelé had in 1964 with a housemaid, Anizia Machado, fought for years to be acknowledged by Pelé, who refused to submit to [[DNA paternity testing|DNA test]]s.<ref name="PELE/SANDRA/ESPN">{{cite news|title=Pele's daughter dies of cancer at 42|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=soccer&id=2629482|access-date=3 February 2014|publisher=ESPN|date=17 October 2006|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082243/https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=soccer&id=2629482|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Peles daughter2">[http://english.people.com.cn/200610/18/eng20061018_312942.html "Pele misses funeral of "daughter he never wanted"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221030401/http://english.people.com.cn/200610/18/eng20061018_312942.html |date=21 February 2014 }}. ''People''. 18 October 2006. Retrieved 3 February 2014</ref><ref name="Peles daughter3">[http://m.espn.com/soccer/story?storyId=386082&wjb= "Daughter who sued Pele dies of cancer at 42"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222005908/http://m.espn.com/soccer/story?storyId=386082&wjb= |date=22 December 2022 }}. ESPN. 17 October 2006. Retrieved 3 February 2014.</ref> Pelé finally relented after a court-ordered DNA test proved she was his daughter. Sandra Machado died of cancer in 2006.<ref name="Peles daughter2" /><ref name="Peles daughter3" /><ref>{{cite news|title=The Daughter Pelé Didn't Want Dies of Breast Cancer in Brazil|url=https://www.brazzil.com/7392-the-daughter-pele-didnt-want-dies-of-breast-cancer-in-brazil/|work=Brazzil|date=17 October 2006|access-date=22 December 2022|archive-date=22 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222005614/https://www.brazzil.com/7392-the-daughter-pele-didnt-want-dies-of-breast-cancer-in-brazil/|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the age of 73, Pelé announced his intention to marry 41-year-old Marcia Aoki, a Japanese-Brazilian importer of medical equipment from [[Penápolis]], São Paulo, whom he had been dating since 2010. They first met in the mid-1980s in New York, before meeting again in 2008. They married in July 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/football-legend-pele-marries-definitive-love-34871544.html|title=Football legend Pele marries 'definitive love'|work=The Belfast Telegraph|access-date=31 May 2018|issn=0307-1235|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108083336/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/football-legend-pele-marries-definitive-love-34871544.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Politics ===

[[File:Pelé & Lula.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Brazilian president [[Lula]] and Pelé in commemoration of 50 years since the first World Cup title won by Brazil in 1958, at the [[Palácio do Planalto]] in [[Brasília]], 2008]]

In January 1995, he was appointed by [[Fernando Cardoso]] as minister of sports. During his tenure, multiple reforms against corruption in state football associations were presented. He resigned from the post on 30 April 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/BRAZIL-PELE-STEPS-DOWN-AS-MINISTER-OF-SPORT/a70554ab2cf8bfb3c5a387b8dda65f5d?query=pele+minister+of+sport&current=1&orderBy=Relevance&hits=27&referrer=search&search=%2fsearch%3fstartd%3d%26endd%3d%26allFilters%3d%26query%3dpele%2bminister%2bof%2bsport%26advsearchStartDateFilter%3d%26advsearchEndDateFilter%3d%26searchFilterHdSDFormat%3dAll%26searchFilterDigitized%3dAll%26searchFiltercolorFormat%3dAll%26searchFilteraspectratioFormat%3dAll&allFilters=&productType=IncludedProducts&page=1&b=a65f5d |title=BRAZIL: PELE STEPS DOWN AS MINISTER OF SPORT &#124; AP Archive |access-date=29 December 2022 |archive-date=29 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229204728/http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/BRAZIL-PELE-STEPS-DOWN-AS-MINISTER-OF-SPORT/a70554ab2cf8bfb3c5a387b8dda65f5d?query=pele+minister+of+sport&current=1&orderBy=Relevance&hits=27&referrer=search&search=%2Fsearch%3Fstartd%3D%26endd%3D%26allFilters%3D%26query%3Dpele%2Bminister%2Bof%2Bsport%26advsearchStartDateFilter%3D%26advsearchEndDateFilter%3D%26searchFilterHdSDFormat%3DAll%26searchFilterDigitized%3DAll%26searchFiltercolorFormat%3DAll%26searchFilteraspectratioFormat%3DAll&allFilters=&productType=IncludedProducts&page=1&b=a65f5d |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the [[2013 protests in Brazil]], Pelé asked for people to put aside the demonstrations and support the Brazil national team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://noticias.terra.com.br/brasil/cidades/estatua-de-pele-e-amordacada-na-cidade-natal-do-jogador,eeb45ecb5655f310VgnVCM3000009acceb0aRCRD.html|title=Estátua de Pelé é "amordaçada" na cidade natal do jogador|publisher=[[Terra Networks]]|date=21 June 2013|access-date=16 June 2014|language=pt|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082410/http://noticias.terra.com.br/brasil/cidades/estatua-de-pele-e-amordacada-na-cidade-natal-do-jogador,eeb45ecb5655f310VgnVCM3000009acceb0aRCRD.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 1 June 2022, Pelé published an open letter to the President of Russia [[Vladimir Putin]] on his [[Instagram]] account, in which he made a public plea to stop the "evil" and "unjustified" [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Boyle |first=Brendan |date=1 June 2022 |title=Brazilian soccer icon Pele calls on Putin to stop 'wicked' Ukraine invasion |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/brazilian-soccer-icon-pele-calls-putin-stop-wicked-ukraine-invasion-2022-06-01/ |access-date=9 August 2022 |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082202/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/brazilian-soccer-icon-pele-calls-putin-stop-wicked-ukraine-invasion-2022-06-01/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=3 June 2022 |title=From King to President, Pelé asks Putin to please end the invasion in Ukraine |url=https://www.marca.com/en/football/2022/06/03/62996e38e2704e20b08b4585.html |access-date=9 August 2022 |website=Marca |location=Spain |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108081642/https://www.marca.com/en/football/2022/06/03/62996e38e2704e20b08b4585.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 June 2022 |title=Football legend Pele tells Putin: 'stop the invasion' |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220601-football-legend-pele-tells-putin-stop-the-invasion |access-date=9 August 2022 |publisher=France 24 |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082501/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220601-football-legend-pele-tells-putin-stop-the-invasion |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Religion ===

A [[Catholic]], Pelé donated a signed jersey to [[Pope Francis]]. Accompanied by a signed football from [[Ronaldo Nazario]], it is located in one of the [[Vatican Museums]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Morrissey |first=Paul |date=27 April 2013 |title=Romario trolls Pele on Twitter, says he's a phony Catholic and talks nothing but shit |url=http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/romario-trolls-pele-on-twitter-says-hes-a-phony-catholic-and-talks-nothing-but-shit/ |access-date=30 August 2014 |publisher=101greatgoals.com |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082202/https://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/romario-trolls-pele-on-twitter-says-hes-a-phony-catholic-and-talks-nothing-but-shit/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Health ===

[[File:Inauguração da estátua .jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Pelé in a wheelchair in 2018 at the unveiling of his statue in [[Rio de Janeiro]]]]

In 1977, Brazilian media reported that Pelé had his right kidney removed.<ref>{{cite news|last=Guilherme Seto|first=Rafael Reis|title=Pelé tem apenas um rim desde que era jogador de futebol|url=http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/esporte/2014/11/1554686-pele-tem-apenas-um-rim-desde-que-era-jogador-de-futebol.shtml|language=pt|newspaper=[[Folha de S.Paulo]]|access-date=28 November 2014|date=28 November 2014|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108081642/https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/esporte/2014/11/1554686-pele-tem-apenas-um-rim-desde-que-era-jogador-de-futebol.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2012, Pelé underwent a successful hip operation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1225092/pele-in-hospital,-hip-operation-a-success,-report-says?cc=5901|title=Pele in hospital, hip operation a success, report says|publisher=ESPN|date=13 November 2012|access-date=16 June 2014|archive-date=16 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116013728/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1225092/pele-in-hospital,-hip-operation-a-success,-report-says?cc=5901|url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 2017, Pelé appeared in a wheelchair at the 2018 World Cup draw in Moscow where he was pictured with President [[Vladimir Putin]] and Argentine footballer [[Diego Maradona]].<ref name="Health 2018"/> A month later, he collapsed from exhaustion and was taken to hospital.<ref name="Health 2018">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/19/pele-recovering-hospital-collapsing-exhaustion |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/19/pele-recovering-hospital-collapsing-exhaustion |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Pele recovering in hospital after collapsing with exhaustion|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=9 March 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2019, after a hospitalisation because of a [[urinary tract infection]], Pelé underwent surgery to remove [[kidney stone disease|kidney stone]]s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/13/sport/pele-hospital-kidney-stones-brazil/index.html|title=Pele recovering after kidney stone procedure in Brazil|last=Gray|first=Melissa|publisher=CNN|access-date=23 July 2019|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082508/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/13/sport/pele-hospital-kidney-stones-brazil/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2020, his son Edinho reported that Pelé was unable to walk independently and reluctant to leave home, ascribing his condition to a lack of rehabilitation following his hip operation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pele: Brazil legend reluctant to leave his home, says son Edinho |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12027/11931070/pele-brazil-legend-reluctant-to-leave-his-home-says-son-edinho |access-date=12 February 2020 |work=Sky Sports |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082158/https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12027/11931070/pele-brazil-legend-reluctant-to-leave-his-home-says-son-edinho |url-status=live }}</ref>

In September 2021, Pelé had surgery to remove a tumour on the right side of his colon.<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 September 2021|title=Pelé: Brazil legend remains in intensive care as he recovers from surgery to remove tumour|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12404522/pele-brazil-legend-remains-in-intensive-care-as-he-recovers-from-surgery-to-remove-tumour|access-date=11 September 2021|work=Sky Sports|archive-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108081642/https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12404522/pele-brazil-legend-remains-in-intensive-care-as-he-recovers-from-surgery-to-remove-tumour|url-status=live}}</ref> Although his eldest daughter Kely stated he was "doing well", he was reportedly readmitted to intensive care a few days later,<ref>{{cite news |title=Pele in 'stable' condition after respiratory problems, hospital says |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/soccer-brazil-legend-pele-re-enters-icu-espn-brasil-reports-2021-09-17/ |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=Reuters |archive-date=11 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111015038/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/soccer-brazil-legend-pele-re-enters-icu-espn-brasil-reports-2021-09-17/ |url-status=live }}</ref> before finally being released on 30 September 2021 to begin [[chemotherapy]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Brazil: Pele released from hospital to begin chemotherapy |url=https://www.dw.com/en/brazil-pele-released-from-hospital-to-begin-chemotherapy/a-59371723 |access-date=2 October 2021 |work=[[Deutsche Welle|DW]] |archive-date=8 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108082240/https://www.dw.com/en/brazil-pele-released-from-hospital-to-begin-chemotherapy/a-59371723 |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2022, [[ESPN Brasil]] reported that Pelé had been taken to hospital with "general swelling", along with cardiac issues and concerns that his chemotherapy treatment was not having the expected effect; his daughter Kely stated there was "no emergency".<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 November 2022 |title=Pele: Brazil legend in hospital but daughter confirms no emergency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63812974 |access-date=30 November 2022 |website=BBC Sport |archive-date=8 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208063530/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63812974 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 November 2022 |title=Pelé é internado e passa por exames em São Paulo; quimioterapia não responde e situação preocupa (in Portuguese) |url=https://www.espn.com.br/futebol/artigo/_/id/11303661/pele-e-internado-e-passa-por-exames-em-sao-paulo-quimioterapia-nao-responde-e-situacao-preocupa |access-date=30 November 2022 |website=ESPN Brasil |archive-date=3 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103112135/https://www.espn.com.br/futebol/artigo/_/id/11303661/pele-e-internado-e-passa-por-exames-em-sao-paulo-quimioterapia-nao-responde-e-situacao-preocupa |url-status=live }}</ref>