Edson Arantes do Nascimento, more commonly known as Pelé, is considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time. Born in 1940 in Brazil, Pelé revolutionized world football thanks to his technical prowess and his efficiency in front of goal.
In addition to being a legend on the field, Pelé was also able to build a considerable fortune throughout his career and after his retirement from sports, making him one of the richest athletes in history. Let’s see in more detail the origin and extent of the colossal fortune accumulated by “King” Pelé.
READ MORE
+ + Arsène Wenger, the first to see Kylian Mbappé as the “new Pelé”
+ + Romario ranks himself above Messi and Ronaldo, claims only Maradona and Pele were better
+ + The name of the new champions cup in tribute to Pelé
His football salaries
Although lower than those of today’s stars, Pelé’s salaries as a professional player allowed him to amass a significant first portion of his wealth. After his debut at Santos FC in Brazil in the 1950s-1960s, where he earned around $15,000 per year, Pelé joined the American club New York Cosmos in 1975 to end his career there.
There, his annual salary was already close to a million dollars, or nearly 1.3 million euros at the time, which was considerable for the time. Even though these footballing earnings represent only a tiny part of his total fortune in the end, they gave Pelé his first millions.
Advertising contracts
It is above all thanks to his extraordinary business acumen that Pelé built most of his wealth. From the start of his career, the Brazilian knew how to commercially exploit his status as a global football star. He has multiplied partnerships and advertising contracts with the biggest brands, in fields as varied as sport, food, fashion and telecommunications.
We can cite, for example, his numerous contracts with Puma, Coca-Cola, American Express, Louis Vuitton, MasterCard and Nokia. These partnerships would have brought him around 15 million euros per year, making him one of the highest paid athletes in history. In total, his advertising revenue far exceeded his earnings as a player.
Real estate investments
A shrewd businessman, Pelé also paid great attention to his financial investments. Thanks to his savings from football and advertising, he was able to invest in real estate. We can note the purchase in 1979 for 144,000 euros of a house in New York, which he resold almost 40 years later for more than 2.6 million euros, thus realizing a considerable capital gain.
He also owned many other prestigious properties in Brazil, including a villa in Guaruja and a resort in São Paulo. These judicious real estate investments have also largely contributed to his assets over the years.
Estimated net worth
At the time of his death in December 2022 at the age of 82, Pelé’s personal fortune was estimated at around €93 million. A colossal sum, the result of an exceptional career on the field but also of an unparalleled flair for business.
Thanks to his salaries as a player, his incredible advertising contracts and his profitable investments in real estate, Pelé is undoubtedly one of the richest athletes in history. Even after his retirement, the “King” was able to build on his legend and derive enormous financial benefits from it. His fortune perfectly reflects the immense legacy left by this global football icon.
