Honestly, if you look at the raw data, Pele's career is a headache. You’ll see one source claim he scored 1,281 goals. Another says 767. FIFA usually leans toward the higher number for the vibes, while the statisticians at RSSSF (Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation) are way more stingy. It’s wild. How does a guy lose 500 goals depending on who you ask?
He was a king. That much is clear. But pele soccer player stats aren't just about cold numbers on a spreadsheet; they are a window into a time when "official" matches weren't the only ones that mattered to the fans in the stands.
The Big Number vs. The Real Number
Let’s get the elephant out of the room. The 1,281 goals in 1,363 games. That’s the Guinness World Record figure. It includes everything. We're talking friendlies, exhibition tours in Africa, and even games he played for the Brazilian Coast Guard while doing his military service.
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Some people roll their eyes at this. They shouldn't. Back in the '60s, Santos (his club) didn't care about the Copa Libertadores as much as we care about the Champions League today. They made their money by touring the world. They played against Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Barcelona in high-stakes "friendlies" that were more intense than modern league games. If you subtract those, you're basically deleting the most competitive parts of his career.
If we talk strictly competitive, "official" goals, the number drops to roughly 762 or 767 goals. This total comes from:
- 643 goals for Santos in competitive matches (a record for a single club that stood until Lionel Messi finally broke it with Barcelona in 2021).
- 77 goals for Brazil in 92 official caps.
- 37 goals for the New York Cosmos toward the end of his career.
- A handful of goals in state championships and official cups.
It's a lot. No matter how you slice it.
The World Cup Legend
Pele is the only person to win three World Cups. Period. That’s the stat that usually ends any "who is the GOAT" debate in a Brazilian bar. He won in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
In 1958, he was just a 17-year-old kid. He didn't even play the first two games. Then he scored a hat-trick in the semi-final against France and two more in the final against Sweden. He remains the youngest player to ever score in a World Cup final.
By the time 1970 rolled around, he wasn't just a striker; he was a playmaker. He finished that tournament with four goals and six assists. That's ten goal involvements in one tournament. His vision was basically 4K in a black-and-white era.
The Santos Years and the 1959 Freak Show
1959 was his peak statistical year. He scored 126 goals in a single calendar year. Think about that. Most modern strikers are having a "world-class" season if they hit 30. He hit 126.
He was also the top scorer in the Campeonato Paulista (the Sao Paulo state league) for nine consecutive seasons. In 1958, he scored 58 goals in that league alone. That record still stands today, and it’s likely never going to be broken because the game has changed too much.
Coming to America: The New York Cosmos
People forget he was basically retired when he moved to New York in 1975. He was 34 and hadn't played a competitive match in months. He still managed to score 31 goals in league play and another 6 in various other matches for the Cosmos.
He didn't just play soccer there; he sold it. The stats show that attendance for Cosmos games jumped from a few thousand to over 70,000 at Giants Stadium because of him. He ended his career with a 1977 NASL Championship.
Why These Stats Matter Now
Looking at pele soccer player stats in 2026 feels different than it did twenty years ago. We have better video now. We have more context. We know that Neymar eventually passed his official goal tally for the national team (reaching 79 goals), but Pele did it in significantly fewer games.
Pele averaged 0.84 goals per game for Brazil. Neymar is closer to 0.62.
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The debate over "friendlies" will never die, but it’s important to remember that in the 1960s, there was no global TV deal. If you wanted to see the best player in the world, his team had to fly to your city and play an exhibition. Those games were his lifeblood.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Check the source: When you see a goal count, check if it includes "unofficial" games. If it’s over 1,000, it does.
- Watch the 1970 Final: If you want to see the "assist" side of his game, watch the full 1970 World Cup final against Italy. His pass to Carlos Alberto is a masterclass.
- Look at the ratio: Don't just look at the total. Look at his goals-to-game ratio. He hovered around a goal per game for nearly two decades. That is the real miracle of his career.
Pele was a freak of nature who combined the speed of a sprinter with the brain of a chess player. The stats are just the receipts he left behind.