Who is the only player to win the World Cup three times?

In nearly a century of World Cup history, with hundreds of players winning the trophy and a handful winning it twice, only Pelé has won it three times. He did it across twelve years in three very different Brazil teams, on three different continents — Europe in 1958, South America in 1962, and North America in 1970. As of today, no other footballer has matched the feat.

Pelé's first World Cup win came when he was just 17 years old, at the 1958 tournament held in Sweden. He had not even been Brazil's first-choice forward at the start of the competition, but once he was given his chance in the knockout rounds, he scored repeatedly. By the final he had become the face of the team, scoring twice as Brazil beat the host country 5–2. It was Brazil's first ever World Cup title.

The 1962 World Cup, held in Chile, was Pelé's second triumph, but on the field it was a much smaller role. He was injured early in the tournament and missed most of Brazil's matches. The team won anyway, with Garrincha taking centre stage in his absence and leading Brazil to a second consecutive title. Pelé was still part of the squad, and that injury-shortened tournament counts officially as his second World Cup win.

The third title came at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Pelé, now 29, was at his peak, and the Brazil side he led — alongside Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho, Tostão, and Rivellino — is often called the greatest international football team ever assembled. Brazil won every match they played, finishing with a 4–1 victory over Italy in the final. Pelé scored in the final and was named player of the tournament. The three winners' medals, taken together, are why he stands alone in the record book.

This article was written using information from Wikipedia.