Dallas, TX
Son of soccer legend Pelé helps FC Dallas prospects grow their game
FRISCO, Texas – Josh Nascimento’s father is one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Now, he’s working with the best prospects in North Texas, helping them try to be a little bit like Pelé.
FOX 4’s Jeff Kolb caught up with Nascimento to talk about Pelé’s legacy ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Helping the youth
Nascimento is the Head of Performance for the FC Dallas Academy. He works with some of the best prospects in North Texas and the United States.
“I think once you teach them one thing, and then it sticks, and when it sticks you’re like, yes, you know?” Nascimento told Kolb on his favorite thing about teaching.
Josh went through academy life as a player, but unlike these kids, he used to go home to the most legendary soccer dad imaginable. His father is Ayton Arantes do Nascimento, better known to the world as Pelé.
Growing up with a famous soccer father certainly had its moments. When Josh was playing soccer in Florida as a 12-year-old, Pelé showed up to the match as only he could.
“I just see him walking, but instead of him walking and just staying where the parents were, I don’t know what he was thinking, he came to the bench, and he just stood there,” Josh remembered. “And then all the kids on the bench just looked up, and my dad was there, and even the coach was like, what? And I was in the middle of the game, I was like, what the heck is my dad doing on the bench, you know?”
Setting the standard
To this day, the Brazilian icon remains the only man ever to win three World Cup titles.
Pelé was also the first soccer superstar to bring his talent here to the United States. Long before Lionel Messi and David Beckham took Major League Soccer by storm, Pelé joined the North American Soccer League in 1975 with the New York Cosmos.
“I think he paved the way for these guys to come in. He loved to teach. He loved it, especially the young kids. And I think you found that he saw an opportunity to do that here and to grow this sport and to just create a legacy,” Nascimento told Kolb.
Josh realized at an early age he had to step out of his father’s shadow. When Josh chose to play soccer, he aspired to play for Santos F.C., the same club his father starred for.
“I remember I just went out to play like I normally did in the field that we had. I had just gotten a Santos kit that was brand new. All of a sudden, I see him coming out in a Santos kit as well to play with me, and I was just like, what? I was blown away with it. I was like, no way, my dad’s in the Santos kit,” Nascimento remembered.
Pelé helped Josh grow his game as any father would.
“We had like a corridor between our rooms, playing him the ball or him just throwing the ball for me to kick it a little bit,” Nascimento continued.
A different kind of World Cup
This summer will be the first World Cup for Josh without his dad. Pelé passed away in 2022, not long after the last World Cup.
“Yeah, just not being able to, you know, even just call and be like, hey, did you watch the game? What do you think? He embodies the World Cup in a way. It’s gonna be different,” Nascimento said of watching this year’s event without his father around.
But on the pitch in Frisco, Pelé is still impacting the next generation every time Josh gets to tell these players about his dad.
“I think that, for me, it’s also a big win because they’re like, wow, if Pelé actually went through that too, like, Wow, okay, like I can get through this.”
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 4 reporting.
Monday was a wild day for the NFL with two blockbuster trades. First was Myles Garrett, who both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were rumored to have interest in.
Cowboys fans never bought into these rumors, knowing that Jerry Jones was unlikely to make such an investment. The Eagles, however, have been known to get aggressive. Thankfully for Dallas fans, they didn’t make the move as the Cleveland Browns sent Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and a package of picks.
Not long after that trade was finalized, the Eagles did wind up making a trade. After months of speculation surrounding A.J. Brown and the New England Patriots, the two sides made it official as Brown was reunited with Mike Vrabel in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Dallas Cowboys could take the NFC East crown in 2026
The writing has been on the wall all offseason regarding Brown, who has been unhappy with the Eagles for a while. His departure seemed confirmed when they traded up with Dallas in the 2026 NFL draft for USC receiver Makai Lemon.
While Lemon has the tools to be a difference-maker, he won’t be able to perform at the same level as Brown during his rookie season. The Eagles do still have DeVonta Smith at receiver as well as running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That said, there’s no denying that they’re weaker this season than they were with Brown. Just as important, however, is the fact that general manager Howie Roseman didn’t pull off a shocking move for Garrett, which would have made them the overwhelming favorites in the division.
Cowboys chances hinge on defensive changes
Another reason the Cowboys are confident they can hang with Philadelphia this season is the presence of Christian Parker, who they hired as their defensive coordinator after he spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Eagles.
Parker brings in a new scheme and plenty of confidence, but more importantly, he has several new weapons at his disposal. Dallas traded for veterans Rashan Gary and Dee Winters, signed Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant, and selected Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence in the draft.
Those are just some of the moves they made on defense, and they’re banking on that to be enough to help propel them past the team that has won the division the past two seasons.
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FOX 4’s Clarice Tinsley celebrates the following members of the Class of 2026: Zavion Berry, Demi Glenn, Peyton Jankowski, Brynnah Stone, Bailee Swilling and Caroline Woahloe.
The Dallas Cowboys’ goal of having a bounce-back season in 2026 after missing out on the NFL playoffs for two consecutive years begins on Monday, June 1, with the start of organized team activities (OTAs).
OTAs are voluntary, so the whole squad will not be on the field when the team returns to The Star on Monday afternoon, but it’s our first look at the veteran players coming together with the impressive 2026 rookie class to begin preparations for the new year.
Dallas completely revamped its defense in the offseason after firing defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and hiring Christian Parker away from the division rival Philadelphia Eagles, so there will be plenty of attention on the defensive rebuild.
One of the players who will have all eyes on them when OTAs kick off is first-round pick Caleb Downs, who made a positive impression during rookie minicamp. Downs impressed the Cowboys front office, coaching staff, and star players with his poise during his first camp as a rookie, and the hope is that he can develop into the defensive leader that Parker needs on the roster.
There will also be plenty of positional battles to watch, from determining who will start at EDGE, linebacker, and even a heated competition in the team’s loaded tight end room, so there is plenty for fans to look forward to as the team ramps up its offseason program.
When will the players be strapping up their helmets for OTAs and minicamp over the next few weeks?
A full look at the schedule for the Cowboys’ offseason program and preseason can be seen below.
2026 Cowboys Offseason Program: OTAs & Mandatory Minicamp Dates
OTAs
Session 1: Monday, June 1
Session 2: Tuesday, June 2
Session 3: Thursday, June 4
Session 4: Monday, June 8
Session 5: Tuesday, June 9
Session 6: Thursday, June 11
Mandatory Minicamp: Thursday, June 16 through Saturday, June 20
Training Camp: Dates TBD
Dallas Cowboys Preseason Schedule
Week 1 – Saturday, August 15, 8:00 p.m. ET: at Seattle Seahawks | Lumen Field | Seattle, Washington
Week 2 – Saturday, August 22, 9:00 p.m. ET: at Arizona Cardinals | State Farm Stadium | Phoenix, Arizona
Week 3, Friday, August 28, 7:00 p.m. ET: New Orleans Saints | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, Texas
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