It’s fair to say that Santos wasn’t one of Brazils major clubs before the mid-1950’s. Their small (by Brazilian standards) stadium Vila Belmiro only held 25,000. But the arrival of a young player by the name of Pele and new manager Lula soon changed their fortunes dramatically. Prior to 1955, the clubs management had spent the previous few years building a base and adding establishments to the team that would make a success in the future, and it was from 1955 that all this hard work paid off. Santos went undefeated in the first 11 games of that years Paulisto season, which included the infliction of a 7-1 defeat of Jabaquara. However, Santos were defeated by Guarani and drummed 8-0 by Portuguesa, which brought about major setbacks. Losses to Sao Paulo, Sao Bento and Corinthians endangered their title ambitions further. But, the team possessed an incredibly strong spirit and had a relatively stable remainder of the campaign, and with a sprinkling of goals from Emanuele Del Vecchio and 2-1 victory over Taubate on the very last day of the season, the stars aligned for the club and they claimed their first league title in 20 years.

 

The clubs president wanted to build upon this momentum, and knowing that several of the clubs veterans may have opted to leave the club, he secured the services of a number of established players including Zito. He also invested to keep hold of young potentials such as Pepe and Pagao. He proceeded to give coach Lula free reign to scout talented players for the club. Undoubtedly, the greatest signing that was approved in this era was that of a 15 year old boy from Bauru Atlético Clube’s junior squad. His name: Edson Arantes do Nascimento. In the near future, he would become known as Pele, and he would become the greatest football player the world has ever seen. His contract was finalised in June, 1956.

This momentous occasion initiated the clubs Os Santásticos golden era that lasted from then until 1974. The Santos team of this period is often considered to be the strongest ever assembled in any sport, scoring over 3000 goals and becoming a symbol of Joga Bonito. Pele’s signing made the club famous around the world, becoming top scorer in the 1957 season at just 16 years of age. Santos won the Campeonato Paulista in 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1962. They claimed the Torneio Rio-São Paulo in 1959, 1963 and 1964, finished top in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A five times in a row in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965, became South American champions by winning the Copa Libertadores in 1962 and 1963 and world champions by winning the Intercontintal Cup in the same years. 1962’s Serie A, Libertadores and Intercontintal victories combined to form the first ever treble in history.

 

Santos became in demand world wide, and the team became known as Globetrotters, playing friendlies in dozens of countries across the globe. In 1967, the two factions fighting the Nigerian Civil War agreed to a 48 hour ceasefire just so that the two sides could see Peles team play an exhibition game in Lagos. On two occasions against Germany and England, the Brazilian national team had 8 Santos players in the starting lineup. 

​

The club during this era was by no means a one man show. In addition to Pele, Brazil internationals Zito and goalkeeper Gilmar were joined by Pepe, regarded as one of the best wingers of all time. Several other illustrious Brazilian stars featured for Santos soon after, but in was between 1955 and 1964 that the club was at their absolute, brilliant best.

Achievements: FIFA Club World Cup – Winners x2
                               Copa Libertadores – Winners x2
                               Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A – Champions x5
                                Campeonato Paulista – Champions x8
                                Tornio Rio-Sao Paulo – Winners x3

​

Star player: Pele DoB 23 October 1940, Tres Coracoes, Brazil, nickname: The King of Football

Is Pele the best player of all time? Most experts, football critics, former players, current players and football fans in general say yes. In 1999, he was voted World Player of the Century, and Athlete of the Century. He was listed in Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People of the Century. He is the most successful league goalscorer in history, with 541 goals, and he holds the world record for the most career goals scored, 1283. He inspired the phrase "The beautiful game". In his native Brazil, he is hailed a national hero. In fact, when rich European clubs tried to sign him, the Brazilian government declared he was an “official national treasure” to prevent him from being transferred. Nicknamed “The King of Football” he won 3 World Cups, the only player to ever do so. Pelé’s electrifying play and penchant for spectacular goals made him a star around the world, and his club Santos toured internationally in order to take full advantage of his popularity. In 1961, Pele scored a goal that was so spectacular, that a plaque was commissioned with a dedication to the most beautiful goal in the history of the Maracanã. In 1967, a war was paused just so the warring factions could watch him play. Pele grew up in poverty. He was so poor, he couldn’t afford a football so he played with a sock stuffed with newspaper. He only played for two clubs; Santos where he had a phenomenal career and New York Cosmos. One of the most prolific goal scorers to ever play the game, he possessed a powerful and accurate shot with either foot, and played in a variety of attacking positions. His unique and incredible playing style combined technique, balance, flair, agility, speed, creativity, physical power, stamina, athleticism and dribbling skills. Born as Edson Arantes do Nascimento in 1940, Pele started for Santos aged 15 and by 16 he was in the Brazilian national team. Before that, he worked as a servant in tea shops to make money. His record of 58 goals in the 1958 season of the Cameponato Paulista still stands to this day. That year, Pele became the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup when he did so against France. One of his goals in the final against Sweden where he flicked the ball over the defender and then vollied it into the net has been named one of the best goals ever scored. Sadly, Pele did not have much involvement in the 1962 World Cup as he became injured during the second game and missed the rest of the tournament. This event saw Garrincha take the starring role and lead Brazil to their second title. Wearing his famous number 10, one of Pele’s best performances was his hat-trick against Benfica in the victorious 1962 Intercontinetal Cup final. Brazil was eliminated in the first round of the 1966 World Cup after Pele was targeted by Bulgarian and Portuguese defenders and fouled heavily, resulting in another injury.  Many changes were made to the squad for the 1970 World Cup, Pele’s last. With one of their greatest ever squads, possibly the best team of all time, Brazil reached the final against Italy where Pele opened the scoring. Two more Brazilian goals followed before a forth, described as the greatest team goal ever scored which involved all but two of Brazil’s outfield players. Brazil were crowned world champions again with a 4-1 win. His 1000th goal, highly anticipated and dubbed “O Milesimo” came via a penalty kick against Vasco da Gama.  In 1974, despite being well past his prime, he came out of semi-retirement to sign with the New York Cosmos. He finally retired after a friendly match at Giants Stadium between Santos and Cosmos which was played in front of a sold-out crowd and beamed live around the world. He was made honorary president of the Cosmos in 2010 and continues to be known for his ambassadorial work.