A woman who claims to be the secret love child of a football legend First tries to secure part of the deceased footballer’s estate.
The player, who died of colon cancer 82 years old on December 29, officially had seven children.
Now Maria do Socorro Azevedo claims that her mother had an affair with the World Cup winner in the 1980s. She will undergo a DNA test to determine if Pele is a genetic match.
A source told The Mirror: “Pele mentioned in his will the existence of Maria do Socorro Azevedo, who could be his daughter, and officially stated that she should receive part of his wealth if the DNA test confirms paternity.
“It seems that Pele used the will to inform his family about the heir.”
Brazilian football legend Pele, photographed in 2017, made an adjustment in his will to care for a woman who claims to be his love child if a DNA test proves she is an heir
The football legend died in December after a month in hospital. He suffered from colon cancer
Pele’s stepdaughter Gemima Lemos McMahon is also filing with the Brazilian courts to be named Pele’s heir. Her mother, Assiria, was Pele’s second wife.
His estate is estimated to be worth between £12 million and as high as £75 million.
The three-time World Cup winner had been hospitalized in Sao Paulo since late November before passing away on December 29.
Pele burst onto the world stage at the age of 17 during the 1958 World Cup, helping Brazil to the first of their record five successes in the competition.
Injury affected his contribution to the final in 1962, when Brazil retained its title, and 1966, but he returned to lead his country to victory for a third time in Mexico in 1970, as part of what is widely regarded as the best line up. of all time.
He has endured a number of health issues in recent years and underwent surgery in September 2021 to remove a tumor from his colon.
This year, on November 29, he was admitted to the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo with a respiratory infection and remained there until his death.
Pele was a great goalscorer and 1,281 were credited throughout his career according to the official FIFA website.
However, there was so much more to his game, and his outrageous talent and willingness to attempt – and often achieve – the seemingly impossible have led many observers to describe him as the greatest player of all time.
Others can also legitimately claim that title – not least Diego Maradona and his compatriot Argentine Lionel Messi – but it is unthinkable not to include Pele on a shortlist.
Pele scored 1,281 goals during his professional football career, which ended in 1977
His death in December 2022 sparked massive public outbursts of grief across the football world, including in his home of Sao Paulo
He was born as Edson Arantes do Nascimento in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. His father, Dondinho, was a professional footballer.
He had his first trials with Santos in June 1956 and his goal-scoring exploits for the club in Sao Paulo’s state championship saw him into Brazil’s squad for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
Alongside other stars such as Garrincha, Mario Zagallo and Didi, Brazil put to rest the disappointment of losing the 1950 World Cup final on home soil to Uruguay and became the first team to win the tournament outside their home continent.
He quickly became a superstar in his homeland of what was a forward-thinking nation at the time, becoming hugely marketable.
Injury limited his involvement in the 1962 World Cup as Brazil retained the trophy in Chile and the player was criticized for not speaking out against Brazil’s military coup two years later.
Brazil lost their grip at the World Cup in England in 1966. Pele was subjected to ruthless treatment from defenders, particularly Portugal’s, when the South Americans failed to break out of their group.
Incredibly, in Brazil leading up to the 1970 final, there was discussion about whether Pele, still only 29 years old, should be in the squad. He answered his critics in spectacular style as Brazil recaptured the trophy in Mexico.
He headed Brazil forward in the final against Italy and his languid pass into the path of Carlos Alberto completed a superb team effort for the final goal in a 4-1 win.
He never played for a European club, but spent time in the United States with New York Cosmos before his retirement in 1977.