Sandra, who passed away 17 years ago, never saw her father acknowledge her, but her share of the estate passed to her two sons, whom Pelé met for the first time on his deathbed.
Even in death, Pelé’s legacy is as complex as his life, which saw him win three World Cups, score 1,279 goals, and navigate two marriages and two high-profile affairs.
The Argentine icon, famous for his genius on the pitch and tumultuous life off it, left no will, setting the stage for a legal free-for-all among his heirs – at least eight children from six women, with additional paternity claims still pending.
Estimates of his net worth at the time of his death range from a modest £400,000 – drained by unpaid taxes and lavish spending – to an inheritance worth £60-80million, including properties, luxury cars, and even an amphibious vehicle gifted to him in Belarus.
If this wasn’t complicated enough, Pelé’s will included Sandra Regina, a daughter he denied throughout her life despite DNA tests and a 1991 court ruling confirming their relationship.
