Pele

Pele.

It is thought that the nickname 'Pele' came from an Irish priest working in the slums where Pelé grew up. On seeing Pelé's remarkable talent for football as a young boy, the priest exclaimed "...Ag imirt peile" which in the Irish language means 'playing football'. On hearing this, Pelé's friends started calling him by the same name as they thought the priest was calling him.