Pele's amazing prowess on the soccer field earned him the nickname "The King" and endeared him to millions in his home country of Brazil. These days he is recognized around the world as one of the greats of the game. Growing up poor in Sao Paulo, he was discovered by the manager of Santos, who had very high hopes for the youngster, as well as great faith in his ability. During Pele's career at Santos he scored 589 goals from 605 appearances over 19 years. His international career began at 16, making him one of the youngest players to play for Brazil. Some fifteen years later, he retired from international football, with three World Cup medals to his name, amongst various other awards. These days, he devotes his time to promoting the game he loves in the United States.