Marcia Aoki’s life has been shrouded in mystery for many years, with little known about her beyond her marriage to soccer legend Pele, up until his death. However, recent research has shed light on her remarkable journey, from her childhood in Brazil to her successful career as a businesswoman and her love life, whom she shared with one of the greatest names in football for the last years of his life.
Join us as we explore and discover the fascinating story of Marcia Aoki, the woman who was thick and thin with Pele in his fragile days.
Marcia Aoki biography
Marcia Cibele Aoki is a Japanese-Brazilian entrepreneur who was born in 1966. She rose to fame after becoming the third wife of the late Brazilian football icon, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele.
Aoki was born in Penápolis, São Paulo, Brazil. She was raised in a family of four, comprising herself and one sibling, along with her parents.
Aoki is of Asian ancestry but holds Brazilian citizenship by way of birth. She stands at 5 feet, 7 inches tall. According to media reports, she is a practising Christian.
Marcia Aoki career
Aoki is currently an entrepreneur, specialising in the importation and distribution of high-end medical equipment throughout São Paulo and other regions of Brazil.
According to reports, after completing her university studies, Aoki received assistance from her father, Paulo Aoki, in starting her own business focused on importing healthcare supplies. Her clientele has since expanded to include partnerships with both public and private establishments across South America.
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Marcia Aoki’s net worth
The widow of the late football legend earns a living as an established self-employed businesswoman. According to media reports, her net worth is approximated between $2 million to $4 million.
Marcia Aoki family
Aoki is the daughter of Paulo and Isaura Aoki, both of Japanese nationality. Her parents resided and worked in Sao Paulo, before her birth. Her mother, Isaura Aoki, worked as a professional pediatrician, while her father, Paulo, was an entrepreneur.
Aoki grew up along with her brother Carlos Aoki. The two are said to share a close relationship.
Marcia Aoki and Pele
Aoki’s spouse, Edson Arantes do Nascimento alias Pele, was born on October 13, 1940, Pele was widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, with a career spanning over two decades. He began his professional career in Brazil at the age of 15, playing for Santos FC, and quickly gained recognition for his exceptional talent on the field. Pele played a pivotal role in leading Brazil to their first World Cup victory in 1958, scoring six goals in the tournament.
Throughout his illustrious career, Pele won numerous domestic and international titles, including three World Cups. He scored a remarkable 1,281 goals in 1,363 games (although it remains debated), making him one of the highest goal-scorers in football history. Pele was known for his technical skills, quick footwork, and exceptional vision on the field.
Off the field, Pele became an ambassador for football and a global icon. He was also once appointed Brazil’s Sports Minister. He used his platform to promote social causes and worked tirelessly to advance football in developing countries. Pele’s immense contribution to the sport earned him numerous accolades, including induction into the International Football Hall of Fame, and the title of FIFA’s Player of the Century in 2000.
A chance encounter brought Aoki and Pele together for the first time at a glitzy New York party during the 1980s. During this time, they were both entangled in relationships with other partners. Several decades later, in 2008, the two unsuspectingly crossed paths a second time, this time, in an elevator of the same apartment complex where they were both residing at the time. During this time, Pele was going through a tough divorce.
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Two years later, in a similar scenario to their second encounter, the pair bumped into each other once again in the same elevator. Their third meeting transcended into a close friendship and then, eventually, a romantic relationship emerged in 2010.
They kept their romance under wraps, despite being spotted at several social events. The pair announced their impending wedding in 2016, while Pele was 73 years old and Aoki was 41. They tied the knot later in July 2016. The wedding was a modest affair, held in Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil, in the company of close friends and family members.
Before Pele’s marriage to Aoki, the football legend had been married twice. Pele’s first marriage was to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi, who was his wife for 12 years before the dissolution of their marriage in 1982. They had three children: daughters Sophia and Stephany Nascimento, and a son, Malcolm DeLuca.
His second marriage was in April 1994, when Pele tied the knot with his psychologist, Assyria Lemos Seishas, who was also a gospel singer. On September 28, 1996, the couple welcomed a set of twins, a boy and a girl named Joshua and Celeste. Their marriage lasted for 14 years, ending in 2008.
The football legend spent the last six years of his life happily married to Marcia Aoki. The two had no children together during their marriage. In the latter years of their marriage, Pele struggled with several health problems, including getting diagnosed with cancer.
The Brazilian icon managed the illness in the best possible way following his diagnosis, he regularly shared his chemotherapy treatment process with fans on social media.
On December 29, 2022, while surrounded by his family, Pele succumbed to colon cancer, leaving behind his wife Aoki, his five children, his grandchildren, and an eternal legacy.
Following Pele’s demise, his widow Marcia Cibele Aoki, inherited 30 per cent of his assets, as stated in the late football legend’s will, according to Aoki’s attorney, Luiz Kignel. He further stated that Pele’s third and last wife, Aoki, was slated to get his home in Guaruja, a beach resort town south of Sao Paulo, where the pair resided.
Marcia Aoki age
Marcia Aoki was born in 1966, although details of her exact day and month of birth are not public knowledge. She is 57 years old, as of 2023.
Marcia Aoki Instagram
Marcia Aoki is not active on any social media platforms. There is no record of Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok accounts belonging to her.
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