In a match between his beloved Santos and local outfit Vasco de Gama, whose vast ranks of fans gave the iconic No 10 a standing ovation.
That goal half a century ago was a beautifully converted penalty which escaped the grasp of the Vasco goalkeeper, sparking a pitch invasion by the press and culminating in Pele being paraded shoulder-high around the historic stadium by his teammates.
Swarms of photographers and journalists had been poised pitchside for the moment.
Pele, a national hero after helping Brazil to two World Cup wins in 1958 and 1962, was still just 29 years old when he broke the 1 000-goal barrier.
The penalty decision was a doubtful one. Pele recently joked that with today's VAR system it would likely have been refused.