According to the world’s football association, the Federation Internationale de Football Association, the modern game of soccer began in Great Britain in 1863. The first competition FIFA sponsored between countries was a match between France and Belgium in 1904. The inaugural World Cup came in 1930 in Uruguay and the stage was set for years of great soccer and generations of world class black soccer players.
Pele
Pele, whose birth name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is arguable the best soccer player ever. Born in a small town in Brazil, Pele grew up playing soccer and became the youngest player to win a World Cup medal when he was 17 years old. According to IFFHS, Pele is the most successful goalscorer in the world, with 541 league goals. In total Pele scored 1281 goals in 1363 games, for which he was listed in the Guinness World Records for most career goals scored in soccer. During his 15 year career with the Brazilian national team, Pele won three world cups, the only player to ever do so. Pele is hailed as a national hero for his accomplishments in football and for his vocal support of policies to improve the social conditions of the poor. In 1977 Pele ended his career with the New York Cosmos, doing his part to assist in developing soccer in the United States.
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