Soccer shorts, worn by Pele as a member of the North American Soccer League's New York Cosmos in 1976. Pele, born Edson Arantes do Nasciemento in 1940, is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time. He led Brazil to world cup victories in 1958, 1962 and 1970. With 1,281 goals in 1,363 games, he was named the FIFA's "player of the (20th) century."
In 1975, then the most famous footballer in the world, Pele joined the North American Soccer League, articulating his desire to help popularize soccer in the United States. He retired from the sport 1977. He has acted as a national ambassador for Brazil as well as a representative for the UN and UNICEF.
