New York Cosmos' honorary president Pele signs unprecedented lifetime deal with Santos FC

File photo of Pele during his playing days for Santos

NEW YORK (December 5, 2014) – Santos Futebol Clube announced that they have signed an agreement with the greatest footballer of all time: Edson Arantes do Nascimento – King Pelé, becoming the first club in the world to sign a lifetime contract with a former athlete.

The club, which signed Pelé to a global ambassador agreement in 2013, offered him a lifetime contract during the renewal process. Santos FC will continue using Pelé’s image in its marketing, publicity and social media campaigns, and will have the presence of the Athlete of the Century at its events. The new agreement also includes a licensing deal which allows Santos FC and Pelé to create and release products together. Pelé also serves as the honorary president of the New York Cosmos.

Pelé defended Santos FC’s colors for 18 years, scoring 1,091 goals and winning more than 48 championships, including two Club World Cup titles against Benfica (1962) and AC Milan (1963).

In addition to recognizing the significance of Pelé in Santos FC’s history, the agreement is paramount to the Club’s brand strategies. With Pelé as the world’s most famous Brazilian person, and one of the most recognized personalities on the planet, the association between the two brands will strengthen the global presence of Santos FC – enabling greater reach and relevance for its sponsors, partners and other stakeholders. The partnership also reinforces the excellence of the club, and its standard of keeping the club amongst the top and most prestigious in world football.

“Pelé and Santos FC brands will always be related. We expect this agreement to last forever, just like Pelé’s legacy, and that is essential for our brand strategies. We have the greatest player of all time in our history, in our present and in our future. We are so pleased to be able to make this announcement at this time,” says Odílio Rodrigues, Santos FC President.

Thrilled with the offer, Pelé spoke about the joy of wearing the Santos FC shirt for life: “Santos FC believed in me when I was young, and shaped me to become a successful player, teammate and man. The club is in my blood, it is with me everywhere I go and I talk about it in every part of the world. I am looking forward to working with Santos FC on its strategies and programs to ensure it is recognized as the best football club in Brazil.”