2) Pelé
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Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, is one of the most famous footballers alive and the man who is destined to be eternally pitted against Diego Maradona in the age-old battle for the title of the Greatest Footballer of all time.
Given that Pelé has officially scored 1152 goals in 1222 games for both club and country throughout the span of his career stretching 21 years, it is no great surprise that he is considered one of the best footballers to have ever graced a pitch. But it was more than just the statistics that made Pelé one of the true Gods of football – something that is true in every case, I guess.
Having played for Santos for most of his professional domestic career, Pelé retired from the beautiful game while at the New York Cosmos. He, thus, became the first true superstar to have played in the burgeoning American MLS.
Pelé’s acting debut came via the small screen when he featured in the 1969 TV Series Os Estranhos. His debut for the big screen came with O Barão Otelo no Barato dos Bilhões, in 1971.
Pelé would go on to act in 12 other movies, with the most famous being the 1981 blockbuster Escape To Victory alongside other football stars such as Bobby Moore, Osvaldo Ardiles, Kazimierz Deyna, Paul Van Himst, Mike Summerbee, Hallvar Thoresen and Werner Roth. The movie was about Allied Prisoners of War held at a German prison camp during World War II.
The POWs find themselves at the heart of a German propaganda campaign when they are unwittingly enrolled in playing a match against a German team. The movie then follows their quest for freedom on learning of the German plan. Pelé has also featured in the 2004 documentary Pelé Eterno about his own glittering career.
