Pelé has been embroiled in a number of controversy throughout his career. In 1964, the footballer had an affair with Anizia Machado, a housemaid. He, however, denied the existence of the relationship.
Sandra Regina Machado was born as a result of the affair. The Brazilian player, however, denied having a child with the housemaid.
Sandra persisted in court, attempting to establish her relationship with the former athlete. In 1993, the court finally ordered a DNA test. The test established her father as the three-time World Cup champion.
Pelé appealed the decision, but a 1996 test confirmed their relationship once more. Sandra passed away in 2006 after a battle with breast cancer.
Although Edson was unable to attend her funeral, he sent her a wreath. Apart from that, he was frequently in the news during his marriage to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi.
The athlete was embroiled in a number of cheating scandals. He obtained Flávia as a result of an extramarital affair. Additionally, the couple faced numerous personal difficulties.
They eventually divorced after sixteen years of marriage. After the split from Santos FC, the former Santos FC player was largely absent from his children’s lives. In 2014, his first marriage’s son was sentenced to 33 years in prison.
He was convicted of money laundering and trafficking in illegal drugs. Despite this, the sentence was reduced to 13 years in prison.
