Soccer great Pelé  was reportedly robbed at gun point by a gang of armed thugs while on his way from Sao Paolo to his home on the beach.

Pelé  was not injured in the attack but bandits did manage to run off with his gold necklace, mobile phone and watch.

Pelé has been rated by many as the greatest footballer of all time. He was given the title of Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee. 

In his native Brazil, Pelé is hailed as a national hero. He is known for his accomplishments and contributions to the game of football,  in addition to being officially declared the football ambassador of the world by FIFA and a national treasure by the Brazilian government. He is also acknowledged for his vocal support of policies to improve the social conditions of the poor (when he scored his 1,000th goal he dedicated it to the poor children of Brazil).

It was unclear why reports of the robbery were only emerging this week as it was believed to have taken place earlier in the month.  Brazil will host the World Cup in 2014.