Pelé: Birth of a Legend

Set in Brazil, this drama follows Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known to the world as Pelé, from a poor childhood in Bauru through his rise to international fame. He grows up kicking makeshift balls through the streets, learning the game from his father, a former player. His unusual style draws criticism, yet the national coach comes to see that the young talent should be allowed to play his own way. The story moves toward the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where a seventeen-year-old Pelé helped Brazil win the title, a victory that carried deep meaning for a country still haunted by its defeat on home soil in 1950.

Jeff Zimbalist directs from a screenplay he wrote with Michael Zimbalist. Kevin de Paula plays the older Pelé, with Leonardo Lima Carvalho as the younger version, alongside Seu Jorge, Milton Gonçalves, Seth Michaels and Vincent D'Onofrio, among 31 credited cast members. The film is Zimbalist's first feature in the chronological list of his directing work, preceding his later documentaries.

Made for a modest 2 million dollars, the film took roughly 8 million worldwide, a solid return on its budget. On IMDb it holds 7.1 out of 10 from about 20,570 votes, and on TMDB 7.3 out of 10 from around 1,169 votes, suggesting a generally favourable audience response. The critics' rating stands lower, at 5.3 out of 10 from 31 reviews.