You may not know the name Edson Arantes do Nascimento, but I’d bet that even if you don’t know anything at all about sports, you’ll recognize his alter ego: Pelé.
That’s the short and direct title of a new documentary coming to Netflix this month which showcases Pelé’s rise to fame as a Brazilian soccer prodigy, his incredible accomplishments on the pitch, and how he became an international icon and an outspoken political figure who advocated for those less fortunate than himself. Check out the trailer for the upcoming documentary below.
Pelé Documentary Trailer
Pelé was directed by David Tryhorn, who has produced or directed several sports-related projects over the years, and Ben Nicholas, who is making his co-directing debut here. It’s produced by Pitch Productions, and executive produced by Academy Award winner Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September).
This is far from the first time Pelé has appeared on screen. He’s shown up in several features (including John Huston’s acclaimed 1981 film Victory opposite Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Max von Sydow, and the far-less-acclaimed 1987 film Hotshot, opposite…uh…Footloose actor Jim Youngs), and a documentary about him called Pelé Forever was released back in 2004. But it’s nice to see Pelé actually participate in this one – even if he does spend most of this trailer just providing atmospheric drum music. There’s something special about a person like that being able to see the appreciation people still have for them while they’re still alive, instead of missing out on the wave of reactions after they pass away.
Here is the film’s official synopsis:
Pelé, the new Netflix documentary, chronicles the life of the Brazilian football player, Edson Arantes do Nascimento – better known as Pelé. The documentary looks back at the extraordinary period when Pelé, the only player to win three World Cup titles, went from a young superstar in 1958 to a national hero, amidst a radical and turbulent era in Brazilian history.
The film charts Pelé’s remarkable journey to becoming the ‘King of Football’ and leading his nation’s team to their historic win at the 1970 World Cup. With rare and exclusive filmed access to Pelé himself, the film emotionally showcases the star reflecting upon his impressive career. The documentary also includes rare archive and interviews from former legendary team-mates at Santos Futebol Clube and the Brazilian national team, including Zagallo, Amarildo and Jairzinho, as well as extraordinary testimonials from family members, journalists, artists and other personalities who witnessed the golden age of Brazilian football.
Pelé will be available to stream on Netflix beginning on February 23, 2021.
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