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He may have been known as one of the greatest international footballers of all time, but to Pele’s children, he was just a father.
Pele’s full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento and was born on October 23, 1940 in Torres Corazonis, Minas Gerais, Brazil. His professional international football career began in his teens when he started playing for his club Santos Futbol at the age of 15 and the Brazilian national team at the age of 16. Pele earned his nickname O Rei, which means “King” in Portuguese, after winning his FIFA World Cup in 1958, his first for the Brazilian national team. Known for having associated the term ‘The Beautiful Game’ with football, Pele holds the Guinness World Record for scoring 1,279 goals in 1,363 games. After his 20 years in the sport, Pele announced his retirement from professional international football in 1977.
Pele married three times in his lifetime. He married his first wife, his Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi, in 1966 and had his three children, daughters Kely and Jennifer and son Edinho. They divorced in 1982. He married his second wife, Assiria Seixas Lemos, in 1994 and had two children, son Joshua and daughter Celeste. They divorced in 2008. Pele married his first and last wife, Marcia Aoki, in 2016. The two remained married until Pele’s death in 2022. So who are Pele’s children? , read what we know about the children from his three marriages and other relationships.
Who are Pele’s children? Read on for a list of Pele’s children and children from his three marriages and other relationships.
Kelly Cristina Arantes do Nascimento
Birthday: January 13, 1967
Kelly Cristina Arantes do Nascimento is Pele’s first child and daughter with his first wife, Rosemeri dos Reis Chorbi. She was born on January 13, 1967. She is married to Anthony DeLuca and is the mother of her four children Malcolm, Ruby, Enzo and Ella.
In her Instagram profile, Kelly describes herself as a “storyteller and public speaker” on “sports diplomacy, sport for development, equity and peace.” She is the founder of the Nascimento Foundation, an organization whose mission is to create a sustainable and peaceful future through sports and arts programs. “Building a better future for the children of the world will always [Pelé] A goal and will be remembered as one of the hallmarks of his legacy. After scoring 1000 goals, he stood on the podium and called on the world to take this moment and ‘look to the children’. It is on these characteristics and principles that we founded the Nascimento Foundation: peace, education and equality on a global scale.”
Kely also directed a 2020 documentary. beautiful game warrior, about women in international football. She did her Ted x Talk on this subject and documentary in June 2022. Kelly also works for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Division.
After Pele’s death, Kelly honored her father with an Instagram post showing her and her family holding his hand. Rest in peace 💔💔💔,” he captioned the post. A week before Pele’s death, Kelly revealed on Instagram that she and her family will be spending Christmas with him in the hospital because his colon cancer has worsened. We have decided with our doctors that we would be better off staying here while receiving all the care our new family is giving us!!” she wrote. “As always, thank you for all the love you have shown us not only here in Brazil but around the world! Your love for him, and your stories and prayers, we are not alone. Knowing that is a great comfort.
Flavia Arantes do Nascimento
Birthday: 1968
Flavia Arantes do Nascimento is the second child and daughter of Pele and journalist Renita Kurz. She was born in 1968 when Pele was still married to his first wife, Rosé Meridos Her Reis Her Chorbi. Flavia works as a consultant counselor at Infantil Her Pequeno Her Principe Hospital, also known as Little Prince Hospital in Curitiba, Brazil. The hospital was recognized by Newsweek as her one of the best pediatric hospitals in the world in 2021. She has been invited to the hospital’s board of trustees in November 2021.
Sandra Regina Machado Nascimento
Birthday: 1963
Sandra Regina Machado Nascimento was the third child and daughter with Pele’s maidservant Anicia Machado. It was born out of a relationship with Machado. In 1991, after Pele denied being her father and refused to take a DNA test, Sandra sued Pele and she was found guilty of his daughter by a court in 1993 based on her DNA evidence. It was accepted that there is. Pele appealed the court’s decision, but the verdict was upheld. And Sandra was allowed to adopt Pele’s last name, Nascimento.Sandra later published a book The daughter the king didn’t want About her journey to get Pele to accept her as his daughter. She also won a seat on the city council in Santos, Brazil.
In 2001, Sandra sued Pele again demanded more financial compensation from her father, claiming she did not receive the same amount as her half-brothers Kelly, Jennifer and Edson. Sandra died of breast cancer in October 2006. She was 42 years old. She left her husband and her two children.
Edinho “Edson” Arantes do Nascimento
Birthday: August 27, 1970
Edinho “Edson” Arantes do Nascimento is Pele’s fourth child and son with his first wife, Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi. He was born on August 27, 1970. Like Pele, Edinho, nicknamed Edson by his father, was also a professional international footballer, and from 1990 until 1999 he played for his four football clubs in Brazil, Santos and Portugal. He played for Santista, San he Caetano and Ponte. Preta. After his retirement, Edinho was hired by Santos as goalkeeping coach in 2007 and promoted to assistant coach in 2015. As a development coordinator, he became manager in 2019. He was hired in December 2022 as Londrina Football He Club coach.
In 2005, Edinho was arrested on money laundering and drug trafficking charges. He denied the charges against him, but he was convicted in 2014. Pele visited him and fought for his son’s innocence.
Jennifer Chorby Arantes do Nascimento
Birthday: June 1978
Jennifer Chorby Arantes do Nascimento Pele’s fifth child and daughter with his first wife, Rosemeri dos Reis Chorbi. She was born in June 1978. Unlike her family, Jennifer has kept most of her life private and few details are known except for one photo of Pele holding her as a baby. No photos have been released.
Joshua Arantes do Nascimento
Birthday: September 28, 1996
Joshua Arantes do Nascimento is Pele’s sixth child and son with his second wife, Assiria Seixas Lemos. He was born on September 28, 1996 with his twin sister, Celeste Arantes do Nascimento. According to public records obtained by People, Joshua was also a professional international footballer like his father Pele and his half-brother Edson. According to records, Joshua played for Santos in 2013 and 2014. Two years later, he moved to the United States, where in 2016 he played for his team at the University of Tampa’s Spartans. According to his Instagram bio, Joshua holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology and Sports Performance.He still lives in the US and works in strength and conditioning. Golden Goal Soccer Academy in Florida.
Celeste Arantes do Nascimento
Birthday: September 28, 1996
Celeste Arantes do Nascimento Seventh child and daughter of Pele and second wife Assyria Seishas Lemos. She was born on September 28, 1996 with her twin brother, Joshua Arantes de Nascimento. Celeste has her Instagram account private, but in December 2022 she shared her half-brother’s social media accounts with her, including her Instagram photo that Kely posted about “thank you.” It rarely appeared on the page.

Image: Penguin Publishing Group.
Read more about Pele in his 2015 memoir. Why Football Matters: Over 60 Years of International Football HistoryThis book takes readers through Pele’s 20-year international football career, from three World Cup wins to a record-breaking 1,283 goals. The autobiography also explores Pele’s decision to retire from football in 1977, his work as a global ambassador for international football, and how he will influence the next generation of professional footballers like Neymar, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. “I know in my heart that football has been good for me and great for the world….I know time and time again that sport has been a great influence on the field. I’ve seen it improve the lives of countless millions at home and abroad. Why soccer matters.
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