All About Pelé's 7 Children

Brazilian soccer legend Pelé has died at age 82 amid ongoing treatments for colon cancer.

"Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today. In his journey, Edson charmed everyone with his brilliance in sport, stopped a war, performed social work around the world, and spread what he most believed to be the cure to all our problems: love," a statement read on his Instagram account. "Your message in life will become a legacy for generations to come."

In addition to being a soccer legend, Pelé was the father of seven kids. Throughout his life, he engaged in several relationships, some that ended in romance and others that resulted in controversy.

Pelé married three times, first tying the knot with Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi in the late 1960s. They welcomed three children together, daughters Kely and Jennifer and son Edinho Nascimento.

The couple split several decades later, when Pelé was romantically linked to Brazilian singer Xuxa. The World Cup champ famously dated the pop star for four years until they broke up in 1986.

Pelé married his second wife Assiria Lemos Seixas in the 1990s. They welcomed twins together, daughter Celeste and son Joshua. After 12 years of marriage, Pelé and Assiria divorced.

The star's third and final marriage, to Marcia Cibele Aoiki, a Brazilian entrepreneur, took place several years later.

Pelé also welcomed two children with women outside his marriages: He had his fourth daughter, Sandra Regina Machado, with housemaid Anizia Machado and his fifth, Flávia, with journalist Lenita Kurtz.

Keep scrolling for everything to know about the Brazilian soccer star's seven kids.

Kely Christina Arantes do Nascimento

Kely is Pelé's first child and eldest daughter who he welcomed with his first wife, Rosemeri, on Jan. 13, 1967. Since she was young, Kely recognized her father's dedication, discipline and humility as an athlete — as well as the way he inspired young people.

As she grew older, Kely — along with her sisters — founded the Nascimento Foundation, an organization that strives to globally build a sustainable and peaceful future for children through sports and the arts.

Recently, she's placed her focus in the sports diplomacy and sports for development sectors and has worked to further the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through world travel and storytelling. In June, she gave a TEDx Talk about barrier-breaking women in soccer.

Currently, Kely is in the post-production stage of her feature documentary, Warrior of a Beautiful Game, which will highlight gender inequality in sports. When she's not working, she's spending time with her four children Malcolm, Ruby, Enzo and Ella — and of course, stopping by the soccer field.

Flávia Arantes do Nascimento

Pelé welcomed his second child, daughter Flávia, with journalist Lenita Kurtz, in 1968 while he was still married to Rosemeri (and would remain so for many more years).

Flávia currently works as an advisory counselor at major hospital in Brazil. In 2021, it was recognized as one of the best specialized hospitals in the world. Plus, she was invited to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Little Prince Hospital.

Sandra Regina Machado Nascimento

Pelé's second daughter, Sandra Regina Machado, was born as the result of an affair with housemaid Anisia Machado in 1963. For many years that followed, the soccer star denied that he was her father and refused to submit to a DNA test.

When Sandra grew older, she took the soccer star to court, suing him in 1991. Two years later, courts deemed Sandra his daughter based on DNA evidence. Despite Pelé's appeal, it was upheld in 1996 and she was granted the ability to adopt his father's surname.

Sandra later published a book, titled The Daughter the King Didn't Want, detailing the turbulent journey she endured in the wake of her father's rejection. She also went on to win a city council seat in Santos.

In 2001, she filed another suit against her father, demanding increased financial compensation after claiming that she wasn't receiving the same amount of money from Pelé as her half-siblings Kely, Edson and Jennifer. The court rejected the claim.

Sandra died from cancer in October 2006. She left behind her husband and two children.

Edinho "Edson" Arantes do Nascimento

Edinho is Pelé's fourth child and first son, who he welcomed with Rosemeri on Aug. 27, 1970. Nicknamed Edson, which is his father's given name, Edinho was a Brazilian soccer player in his own right and played professionally before retiring in 1999.

As a goalkeeper, Edinho played for four Brazilian clubs throughout his professional career: Santos, Portuguesa Santista, São Caetano and Ponte Preta. But his time on the pitch didn't end after retirement.

Edinho was hired by Santos as a goalkeeping coach in 2007 and was promoted to assistant coach in 2015. In the years that followed, he held managing gigs at several different clubs — one of which included his father's hometown club, Tricordiano — but ultimately returned to Santos as a development coordinator and then a manager in 2019.

Soccer aside, Edinho faced legal troubles in 2005 when he was arrested and later sentenced for money laundering and drug trafficking in 2014. While he denied all charges, Edinho admitted to a past drug problem despite being clean for many years. Pelé visited him several times in jail.

In early December 2022, Edinho was hired as the coach of Brazilian soccer club Londrina. He's currently working to assemble the squad for the 2023 season.

Jennifer Cholby Arantes do Nascimento

The World Cup champ welcomed his fifth child, daughter Jennifer Cholby Nascimento, with Rosemeri in June 1978. Unlike her siblings and famed father, Jennifer has chosen to live a private life. There are little details known about her and few photos of her are public, except for one that shows Pelé cradling her as a newborn.

Joshua Arantes do Nascimento

Pelé welcomed boy-girl twins with his wife Assiria on Sept. 28, 1996, making them his sixth and seventh children. His son, Josh, opts to keep his life private on social media, but public records show that he was a soccer player like his older half-brother, Edson, and his father.

While he doesn't play anymore, records show that he used to play for club Santos in 2013 and 2014. Two years after, he moved to the United States to play forward for the Spartans soccer team at the University of Tampa in 2016.

Per his Instagram bio, Josh earned a bachelor's degree in exercise physiology and human performance. Now, he continues to live in the States where he works in the field of strength and conditioning. He also coaches at the Golden Goal Soccer Academy in Florida.

Celeste Arantes do Nascimento

Also born on Sept. 28, 1996 to Pelé and Assiria was Josh's twin sister, Celeste. Although she prefers to keep the majority of her life out of the public eye, she does make rare appearances on her half-siblings' social media pages from time to time.