| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pedro Miguel Cardoso Monteiro | ||
| Date of birth | 2 May 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Albufeira, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Hednesford Town | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Imortal | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–2002 | Imortal | 126 | (8) |
| 2002–2003 | Farense | 28 | (2) |
| 2003–2006 | Belenenses | 84 | (1) |
| 2006–2007 | Southampton | 37 | (1) |
| 2007–2009 | West Bromwich Albion | 24 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Falkirk | 9 | (1) |
| 2010 | Milton Keynes Dons | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | Northwich Victoria | 18 | (0) |
| 2011– | Hednesford Town | ||
| National team | |||
| 2006–2009 | Cape Verde | 11 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, 1 August 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
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Pedro Miguel Cardoso Monteiro (born 2 May 1978), aka Pelé, is a Portuguese-born Cape Verdean footballer who plays for Hednesford Town in England, as a central defender.
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Born in Albufeira, Pelé started playing professionally for local Imortal Desportivo Clube, moving to Algarve neighbours S.C. Farense after five seasons, and playing one year in the Portuguese second division (also played from 1999–2001 with his first club at that level).
He joined C.F. Os Belenenses in 2003–04, making his top level debut on 23 August 2003, in a 2–4 loss at Sporting Clube de Portugal. Incidentally, the following season, already an important first-team element, on 6 March 2005, he netted the game's only goal as Belenenses beat Sporting at home.
Pelé signed Southampton for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £1 million, on 19 July 2006. He had attracted the attention of Premier League sides West Ham United and Portsmouth, Southampton's closest rivals, but decided to opt for the potential of the Football League side, where he was likely to get more games.
On 30 December 2006, Pelé scored his first competitive goal for the Saints against Leicester City.[1] He started 2006–07 in his natural central defensive position but was eventually moved into defensive midfielder, playing alongside Jermaine Wright for most of the season, while also moving back into defence to cover for injuries to Darren Powell and Claus Lundekvam.
Pelé signed for West Bromwich Albion for £1 million on a two-year contract, on 9 August 2007.[2] He made his Albion debut as a second-half substitute in a 2–1 defeat away at Burnley, on the opening day of the 2007–08 season.[3]
Pelé made 13 starts during the campaign, as Albion were promoted to the top flight.
Pelé was released by West Brom in the summer of 2009, following the club's relegation from the top flight, with only three league appearances from the player.[4] On 12 November, he joined Scottish Premier League side Falkirk as a free agent.[5]
In August 2010, Pelé joined Milton Keynes Dons on a non-contract deal, as cover for injured Gary MacKenzie and suspended Mathias Kouo-Doumbé.[6] He was released by the club the following month, without any official appearances.[7]
In January 2011, aged nearly 33, Pelé joined Northwich Victoria of the Northern Premier League on non-contract terms, and made his debut in a 1–0 win against Mickleover Sports.[8] In June he put his name on the PFA's free transfer availability list, indicating that he was seeking a new club.[9]
After turning down invitations in the past, Pelé accepted an invitation to play for Cape Verde, starting appearing for the nation in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification stage.
| International appearances and goals | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Goal | Competition |
| ? | 6 September 2008 | Praia, Cape Verde | Cameroon | 1–2 | 0 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
| ? | 11 October 2008 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | Tanzania | 1–3 | 0 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
| ? | 4 September 2009 | Ta'Qali, Malta | Malta | 2–0 | 0 | Friendly[10] |