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Pelé Quiz

Test yourself on Pelé: Santos, the New York Cosmos, three World Cups and 1,000-plus goals. A free Pelé quiz with most answers explained — play in your browser.

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  1. easy

    Which legendary player was nicknamed 'O Rei' — meaning The King?

    WhyPelé, a three-time World Cup winner with Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970), was universally known as 'O Rei' — the only player to lift the trophy three times.

  2. easy

    Who scored Brazil's third goal in the 1958 World Cup final — a stunning flick over a defender followed by a volley — aged just 17?

    WhyVavá scored Brazil's first two; the 17-year-old then made it 3-1 with the iconic flick-volley en route to a 5-2 win over hosts Sweden.

  3. medium

    Which player scored in 2 different World Cup finals (1958 and 1970) — both Brazil victories?

    WhyPelé scored in the 1958 final (Brazil 5-2 Sweden aged 17) and the 1970 final (Brazil 4-1 Italy). Injured before 1962 final.

  4. medium

    Neymar overtook which Brazilian legend to become the men's national team's all-time top scorer in 2023?

    WhyNeymar scored his 78th and 79th Brazil goals against Bolivia in September 2023, surpassing Pelé's 77.

  5. hard

    Pelé is the only player ever to win THREE World Cups. Who came closest — winning TWO, then a THIRD as a coach?

    WhyMário Zagallo won 2 WCs as a player (1958, 1962 with Pelé) and a 3rd as head coach (1970 — with Pelé again). He was also assistant coach in 1994.

  6. medium

    Pelé's total World Cup goal tally across all four tournaments he played in (1958, 62, 66, 70) was how many?

    WhyPelé scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup matches across 4 editions. Tally: 6 in 1958, 1 in 1962, 1 in 1966, 4 in 1970.

  7. medium

    Which Santos centre-forward's one-two exchanges with Pelé — the famous 'tabelinha' — became the signature move of the club's 1960s attack?

    WhyCoutinho (Antônio Wilson Vieira Honório) played alongside Pelé from 1958 to 1968; Pelé said that inside the box Coutinho was better than he was.

  8. hard

    Pelé arrived at Santos in 1956 as a 15-year-old, brought to the club by a former Brazil international who had coached him at Bauru. Who was he?

    WhyWaldemar de Brito, who played for Brazil at the 1934 World Cup, coached Pelé at Bauru and presented him at home with the words 'this boy will be the best football player in the world'.

  9. medium

    Kylian Mbappe became the youngest player since Pele to score in a World Cup final — how old was he in 2018?

    WhyMbappe was 19 in the 2018 final; only Pele (17 in 1958) has scored in a World Cup final at a younger age.

  10. medium

    Who is Santos' second-highest goalscorer of all time, behind only Pelé?

    WhyPepe scored 405 goals for Santos between 1954 and 1969, staying for his whole career; his left foot earned him the nickname 'Canhão da Vila' — the Vila's cannon.

  11. hard

    According to Guinness World Records, Pelé's best goal-scoring year was 1959, when he scored how many goals in a single calendar year?

    WhyPelé scored 127 goals in 1959 (Guinness World Record). He also scored 58 Campeonato Paulista goals in 1958 — still the league's single-season record.

  12. medium

    How many World Cup goals did Pelé score in total across his 4 tournament appearances (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970)?

    WhyPelé scored 12 WC goals in 14 matches across 4 tournaments. He won 3 WCs (1958 as 17-yo star, 1962 injured after group, 1970 legendary captain).

  13. medium

    Which Brazilian playmaker, nicknamed the 'White Pelé', wore the number 10 shirt at three World Cups from 1978 to 1986?

    WhyDespite being widely regarded as the greatest Brazilian never to win the World Cup, the Flamengo legend captained the brilliant 1982 squad that fell to Italy.

  14. hard

    Which player created 7 chances in Brazil's 1-0 win over England at the 1970 World Cup — a single-game tournament record?

    WhyThe Jairzinho header that won it was set up by Tostão, but it was Pelé who orchestrated most of the attacks, including the iconic Banks save.

  15. medium

    Which Ghanaian playmaker was a star of Marseille's great early-1990s side?

    WhyAbedi 'Pelé' Ayew orchestrated Marseille's attack and was part of the 1993 European Cup-winning squad.

  16. medium

    Who is the youngest player to score in a World Cup final?

    WhyPele was 17 years and 249 days old when he scored twice in the 1958 World Cup final.

  17. hard

    Pelé scored a hat-trick in the 1958 World Cup semi-final aged 17 — against which country?

    WhyBrazil beat France 5-2 in that 1958 semi-final, the teenager scoring three times; Pelé then struck twice more in the final as Brazil beat hosts Sweden 5-2 for their first World Cup.

  18. medium

    When told his concussed player Colin McGlashan didn't know who he was, Partick Thistle manager John Lambie famously replied: 'That's great, tell him he's ___ and get him back on.'

    WhyThe quote even became the title of a book of amusing one-liners from world football.

  19. medium

    Pelé played his last competitive match for Santos in October 1974, dropping to his knees on the pitch to say goodbye. Who were the opponents?

    WhySantos beat Ponte Preta 2-0 in the 1974 Campeonato Paulista on 2 October; Pelé played around 20 minutes before dropping to his knees in the centre circle to bid farewell. Cláudio Adão scored the opener.

  20. hard

    Pelé scored his famous 1,000th senior career goal on 19 November 1969 from a penalty — against which Rio de Janeiro club at the Maracanã?

    WhyPelé (playing for Santos) scored his 1,000th at the Maracanã in front of 65,000 fans. Known in Brazil as 'O Milésimo' (The Thousandth).

  21. medium

    How did Pelé score his 1,000th career goal for Santos?

    WhyClodoaldo slipped him through, Vasco defender Fernando brought him down in the box, and Pelé converted the spot-kick himself late in the second half, beating goalkeeper Edgardo Andrada at the Maracanã on 19 November 1969.

  22. easy

    Which legendary player had a rivalry with Pele — both claiming to be the better player until death?

    WhyMaradona and Pele traded jabs over the 'greatest ever' title for decades; Maradona's 1986 World Cup heroics fuelled his claim against Pele's three titles.

  23. easy

    What shirt number did Pelé wear for Brazil throughout his international career?

    WhyPele's No. 10 turned the shirt into football's iconic playmaker number; he wore it across three World Cup wins (1958, 1962, 1970) for Brazil.

  24. easy

    Santos won the 1962 Intercontinental Cup by beating the reigning European champions 5-2 away from home, with Pelé scoring a hat-trick. Which club?

    WhyBenfica, holders of the 1961 and 1962 European Cups, were beaten 3-2 in Rio and then 5-2 at the Estádio da Luz, where Pelé scored three.

  25. easy

    Which Brazilian legend was voted Player of the Century in 2000 (joint with Maradona) — ahead of all others?

    WhyPelé shared Player of the Century 2000 with Maradona (joint winners). Pelé won the IFFHS World Player of the Century 1999 outright.

  26. easy

    Who scored France's 4th goal in the 2018 World Cup final against Croatia — becoming the second teenager to score in a World Cup final after Pelé in 1958?

    WhyHe was 19 years and 207 days old at the time. The other France goals came from a Mandžukić own goal, a Griezmann penalty and a Pogba strike; Mbappé won the Best Young Player award.

  27. easy

    In what year did Pelé make his World Cup debut and become the youngest WC scorer?

    WhyPelé was 17 at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where Brazil won their first title. He scored a hat-trick in the semi-final.

  28. easy

    Pelé's 1,000th career goal, scored in November 1969 at the Maracanã, came against which club?

    WhySantos won 2-1 at Vasco da Gama on 19 November 1969; Pelé converted a penalty past goalkeeper Edgardo Andrada for the milestone.

  29. easy

    Which 17-year-old scored a hat-trick in the 1958 World Cup semi-final against France and two goals in the final against Sweden?

    WhyBrazil won the trophy without ever playing a third-place match — they dispatched France 5-2 in the semi before beating the hosts 5-2 in Stockholm.

What the Pelé quiz covers

Every question is written and checked by football fans — soccer, if you're reading this in the US — across the topics that decide a real Pelé expert:

Career & clubs

Every club Pelé played for and the moves in between.

Trophies & honours

Leagues, cups and the biggest nights of the career.

Goals & records

The milestones, the tallies and the records set.

International

The national-team story — tournaments, caps and glory.

Iconic moments

The goals and games fans will never forget.

Awards

Ballon d'Ors, Golden Boots and individual honours.

This is one set from a bank of thousands of questions spanning 72 clubs, every major league and eight decades of football.

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Pelé sample questions & answers

Tap an answer to check it — instant right/wrong and the story behind it.

  1. Which legendary player was nicknamed 'O Rei' — meaning The King?

    Pelé, a three-time World Cup winner with Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970), was universally known as 'O Rei' — the only player to lift the trophy three times.

  2. Who scored Brazil's third goal in the 1958 World Cup final — a stunning flick over a defender followed by a volley — aged just 17?

    Vavá scored Brazil's first two; the 17-year-old then made it 3-1 with the iconic flick-volley en route to a 5-2 win over hosts Sweden.

  3. Which player scored in 2 different World Cup finals (1958 and 1970) — both Brazil victories?

    Pelé scored in the 1958 final (Brazil 5-2 Sweden aged 17) and the 1970 final (Brazil 4-1 Italy). Injured before 1962 final.

  4. Neymar overtook which Brazilian legend to become the men's national team's all-time top scorer in 2023?

    Neymar scored his 78th and 79th Brazil goals against Bolivia in September 2023, surpassing Pelé's 77.

  5. Pelé is the only player ever to win THREE World Cups. Who came closest — winning TWO, then a THIRD as a coach?

    Mário Zagallo won 2 WCs as a player (1958, 1962 with Pelé) and a 3rd as head coach (1970 — with Pelé again). He was also assistant coach in 1994.

  6. Pelé's total World Cup goal tally across all four tournaments he played in (1958, 62, 66, 70) was how many?

    Pelé scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup matches across 4 editions. Tally: 6 in 1958, 1 in 1962, 1 in 1966, 4 in 1970.

  7. Which Santos centre-forward's one-two exchanges with Pelé — the famous 'tabelinha' — became the signature move of the club's 1960s attack?

    Coutinho (Antônio Wilson Vieira Honório) played alongside Pelé from 1958 to 1968; Pelé said that inside the box Coutinho was better than he was.

  8. Pelé arrived at Santos in 1956 as a 15-year-old, brought to the club by a former Brazil international who had coached him at Bauru. Who was he?

    Waldemar de Brito, who played for Brazil at the 1934 World Cup, coached Pelé at Bauru and presented him at home with the words 'this boy will be the best football player in the world'.

  9. Kylian Mbappe became the youngest player since Pele to score in a World Cup final — how old was he in 2018?

    Mbappe was 19 in the 2018 final; only Pele (17 in 1958) has scored in a World Cup final at a younger age.

  10. Who is Santos' second-highest goalscorer of all time, behind only Pelé?

    Pepe scored 405 goals for Santos between 1954 and 1969, staying for his whole career; his left foot earned him the nickname 'Canhão da Vila' — the Vila's cannon.

  11. According to Guinness World Records, Pelé's best goal-scoring year was 1959, when he scored how many goals in a single calendar year?

    Pelé scored 127 goals in 1959 (Guinness World Record). He also scored 58 Campeonato Paulista goals in 1958 — still the league's single-season record.

  12. How many World Cup goals did Pelé score in total across his 4 tournament appearances (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970)?

    Pelé scored 12 WC goals in 14 matches across 4 tournaments. He won 3 WCs (1958 as 17-yo star, 1962 injured after group, 1970 legendary captain).

  13. Which Brazilian playmaker, nicknamed the 'White Pelé', wore the number 10 shirt at three World Cups from 1978 to 1986?

    Despite being widely regarded as the greatest Brazilian never to win the World Cup, the Flamengo legend captained the brilliant 1982 squad that fell to Italy.

  14. Which player created 7 chances in Brazil's 1-0 win over England at the 1970 World Cup — a single-game tournament record?

    The Jairzinho header that won it was set up by Tostão, but it was Pelé who orchestrated most of the attacks, including the iconic Banks save.

  15. Which Ghanaian playmaker was a star of Marseille's great early-1990s side?

    Abedi 'Pelé' Ayew orchestrated Marseille's attack and was part of the 1993 European Cup-winning squad.

  16. Who is the youngest player to score in a World Cup final?

    Pele was 17 years and 249 days old when he scored twice in the 1958 World Cup final.

  17. Pelé scored a hat-trick in the 1958 World Cup semi-final aged 17 — against which country?

    Brazil beat France 5-2 in that 1958 semi-final, the teenager scoring three times; Pelé then struck twice more in the final as Brazil beat hosts Sweden 5-2 for their first World Cup.

  18. When told his concussed player Colin McGlashan didn't know who he was, Partick Thistle manager John Lambie famously replied: 'That's great, tell him he's ___ and get him back on.'

    The quote even became the title of a book of amusing one-liners from world football.

  19. Pelé played his last competitive match for Santos in October 1974, dropping to his knees on the pitch to say goodbye. Who were the opponents?

    Santos beat Ponte Preta 2-0 in the 1974 Campeonato Paulista on 2 October; Pelé played around 20 minutes before dropping to his knees in the centre circle to bid farewell. Cláudio Adão scored the opener.

  20. Pelé scored his famous 1,000th senior career goal on 19 November 1969 from a penalty — against which Rio de Janeiro club at the Maracanã?

    Pelé (playing for Santos) scored his 1,000th at the Maracanã in front of 65,000 fans. Known in Brazil as 'O Milésimo' (The Thousandth).

  21. How did Pelé score his 1,000th career goal for Santos?

    Clodoaldo slipped him through, Vasco defender Fernando brought him down in the box, and Pelé converted the spot-kick himself late in the second half, beating goalkeeper Edgardo Andrada at the Maracanã on 19 November 1969.

  22. Which legendary player had a rivalry with Pele — both claiming to be the better player until death?

    Maradona and Pele traded jabs over the 'greatest ever' title for decades; Maradona's 1986 World Cup heroics fuelled his claim against Pele's three titles.

  23. What shirt number did Pelé wear for Brazil throughout his international career?

    Pele's No. 10 turned the shirt into football's iconic playmaker number; he wore it across three World Cup wins (1958, 1962, 1970) for Brazil.

  24. Santos won the 1962 Intercontinental Cup by beating the reigning European champions 5-2 away from home, with Pelé scoring a hat-trick. Which club?

    Benfica, holders of the 1961 and 1962 European Cups, were beaten 3-2 in Rio and then 5-2 at the Estádio da Luz, where Pelé scored three.

  25. Which Brazilian legend was voted Player of the Century in 2000 (joint with Maradona) — ahead of all others?

    Pelé shared Player of the Century 2000 with Maradona (joint winners). Pelé won the IFFHS World Player of the Century 1999 outright.

  26. Who scored France's 4th goal in the 2018 World Cup final against Croatia — becoming the second teenager to score in a World Cup final after Pelé in 1958?

    He was 19 years and 207 days old at the time. The other France goals came from a Mandžukić own goal, a Griezmann penalty and a Pogba strike; Mbappé won the Best Young Player award.

  27. In what year did Pelé make his World Cup debut and become the youngest WC scorer?

    Pelé was 17 at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where Brazil won their first title. He scored a hat-trick in the semi-final.

  28. Pelé's 1,000th career goal, scored in November 1969 at the Maracanã, came against which club?

    Santos won 2-1 at Vasco da Gama on 19 November 1969; Pelé converted a penalty past goalkeeper Edgardo Andrada for the milestone.

  29. Which 17-year-old scored a hat-trick in the 1958 World Cup semi-final against France and two goals in the final against Sweden?

    Brazil won the trophy without ever playing a third-place match — they dispatched France 5-2 in the semi before beating the hosts 5-2 in Stockholm.

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How the Pelé quiz is checked

Every question above was written by hand and verified before it went live.

Every Pelé question here was checked twice before publication — once against the claim the question makes, and once against the wrong answers offered beside it. A question whose wrong options can be dismissed without knowing any football is not really a question, so those get rewritten or dropped rather than padded out. Anything that could not be confirmed was removed rather than guessed, which is why some sets are smaller than others. Spot something wrong and tell us — corrections from players are how the bank stays accurate.

Pelé quiz — FAQ

Which clubs did Pelé play for?
Remarkably for a player of his stature, Pelé turned out for only two professional clubs. He spent nearly two decades at Santos in Brazil (1956–1974), the club where he scored 643 official goals and won two Copa Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cups, before joining the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League in 1975, where he played until retiring in 1977. He famously never played club football in Europe.
What did Pelé win, and what records does he hold?
Pelé is the only player in history to win three World Cups — 1958, 1962 and 1970 — and, at 17 in 1958, the youngest to win the tournament and the youngest to score in a final. With Santos he won six Brazilian championships, two Copa Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cups, and with the Cosmos he lifted the 1977 Soccer Bowl. He scored 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil and was named FIFA Player of the Century in 2000. Note he never won a competitive Ballon d'Or — the award was restricted to European players for most of his career.
Is the Pelé quiz free to play?
Yes. The sample Pelé quiz runs free in your browser with no sign-up — just start answering. If you want more, the full Ball IQ app carries thousands of questions across players, clubs and competitions, plus daily challenges and multiplayer modes.
How hard is the Pelé quiz?
It's built to climb from easy to hard. Openers reward anyone who knows the broad strokes of his career, then it works up to Santos-era detail, his international record and the story behind the Cosmos move. Every question comes with a short explained answer, so it doubles as a way to learn the fuller Pelé story.
About the Pelé quiz

Pelé is the man against whom every debate about football's greatest still begins — the teenager who won a World Cup and never really stopped. This free Pelé quiz runs the whole arc: the 15-year-old Waldemar de Brito delivered to Santos in 1956, the phenomenon who tore up Brazilian football through the 1960s and made Santos world champions, the three-time World Cup winner, and the ageing king who crossed the Atlantic in 1975 to launch the game in America with the New York Cosmos. Only two professional clubs in a career that spanned two decades and, by FIFA's count, well over a thousand goals. If you can name the club he scored his 1,000th goal against, this quiz is for you.

The defining moments arrived early and never stopped. At the 1958 World Cup in Sweden he became the youngest man ever to win the tournament, at 17, and scored a brace in the final against the hosts — still the youngest player to score in a World Cup final. He won again in 1962, then produced perhaps his masterpiece in Mexico 1970, opening the scoring in the final against Italy and setting up two more as Brazil kept the Jules Rimet Trophy for good. He remains, as of 2026, the only man to win three World Cups. In between came the landmarks: 643 goals for Santos — the most for a single club until Lionel Messi passed it in December 2020 — the two Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cups of 1962 and 1963, and the 1,000th goal, a penalty at a packed Maracanã against Vasco da Gama in November 1969.

Expect the full spread. Some of it you'll know cold — the country he won all three World Cups for, say — but the quiz climbs fast. It digs into the Santos golden era and the managers around him, his 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil, the reported $7 million the Cosmos paid to bring him out of retirement in 1975, and the finer print: the opponent in his 1956 Santos debut, the honours he collected in the NASL, and just how Brazil kept a global superstar from ever leaving for Europe.

Every question comes with a short explained answer, so you finish the set knowing more than when you started. Play the sample set below free in your browser, no sign-up. And if it grips you, the full Ball IQ app has thousands of questions plus daily challenges and multiplayer.