Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known by his nickname Pelé (Portuguese pronunciation: was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a forward. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, he was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which includes friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record. In 1999, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century.