The peak years at Santos (1959–1965)

Between 1959 and 1965 Pelé was at the height of his powers, and Santos built one of the most admired teams in football around him. Its players included Gilmar, Mauro, Zito, Dorval, Mengálvio, Coutinho, Pepe and Pelé, coached by Lula. Brazilians later called the side Os Santásticos.

In March 1959 Pelé was the top scorer at the South American Championship in Buenos Aires, with eight goals, and was named its best player. At home, Santos won the Campeonato Paulista in 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964 and 1965. From 1961 to 1965 they also won five national championships in a row, then called the Taça Brasil. Pelé was the top scorer in the state league every year from 1957 to 1965.

On 5 March 1961, against Fluminense at the Maracanã, he scored the solo goal that became known as the gol de placa. That year, President Jânio Quadros's government declared him an official national treasure, to stop foreign clubs buying him.

The Taça Brasil title took Santos into the Copa Libertadores, South America's club championship. They won it in 1962, beating Peñarol 3–0 in a play-off in Buenos Aires with two goals from Pelé. In the Intercontinental Cup that autumn they beat Benfica 3–2 in Rio and 5–2 in Lisbon. Pelé scored five goals in the two matches, including a hat-trick at the Estádio da Luz.

In 1963 Santos won the Libertadores again, beating Boca Juniors in both legs of the final; Pelé scored the winner in Buenos Aires. They then beat AC Milan in a three-match Intercontinental Cup, though Pelé missed the last two games. In November 1964 he scored eight goals in one league match, an 11–0 win over Botafogo of Ribeirão Preto at Vila Belmiro.

Santos earned large fees by touring the world, playing friendlies in Europe, Africa and Asia because crowds wanted to see Pelé. Those games make up much of his famous goal totals, and explain why counts differ so much. At this time he was, for a period, the highest-paid athlete in the world.