It's Pelé’s big dream to become a football star. Instead, he has to contribute to the family income by earning money with his shoe shining kit. Finally he can't bear polishing rich men's shoes at the train station anymore so, at 11 years old, he starts a football club for street children. They play without shoes and call themselves: the shoe-less ones. They practice all the time and they want to be taken seriously. One day, a businessman offers to supply them with shoes, if they really are serious about their football careers. For the first time, the shoe-less ones play in a tournament, in a stadium – and with shoes on their feet. It feels odd but they win and Pelé scores more goals than anyone else!