The illustrious Brazilian soccer player has had a turbulent “private” life off the pitch.
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The man defeated by cancer on Thursday, father of seven children, has been married three times. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as “Pelé”, did not hide from his extramarital affairs, we learn in Le Parisien.
“I had a few affairs, some of which resulted in children, but I only heard regarding them later, confessed the “King” in a documentary on his life. My first wife knew everything. I have never lied to anyone”.
Pelé was first married to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi in 1966, with whom he had two daughters and a son. The union ended in divorce in 1982.
Pelé also had a story with a maid during the said marriage, from which a daughter was born who will never be officially recognized by the father. The courts will give reason to his daughter, Sandra Machado, who will publish a book on her story far from her father.
The emeritus player had another daughter with journalist Flávia Kurtz in 1968, then two twins with Assiria Lemos Seixas, with whom he married in 1994 and then divorced in 2007.
Pelé reportedly met his third wife, Marcia Aoki, in the mid-1980s, according to the Mirror UK. They would have lost sight of each other to finally see each other once more in 2008. Despite their 32-year gap, Pelé and Marcia Aoki married in 2016 and remained united until the death of the player.
In 2014, Edson “Edinho” Cholbi do Nascimento was sentenced to 33 years in prison for drug trafficking and money laundering, a sentence that will eventually be reduced to 13 years in 2017.
Edinho played as a goalkeeper in the same team where his father rose to fame. He was first arrested in 2005, according to the BBC.
