Pelé, the world’s best player, died at the age of 82 after a battle with colon cancer.
He died on Thursday at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in So Paulo, Brazil’s most populated city. He died as a result of cancer complications. He had a tumour removed from his intestines last year. He was admitted to the hospital at the end of November for cancer treatment.
Pelé, whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was hospitalised during Christmas as his health worsened. He also required care for heart and renal problems.
Pelé is often regarded as the greatest player of all time. He scored over 1300 goals in his career and is the only player to have won the World Cup three times. His first conquest came as a youngster in 1958, followed by two more in 1962 and 1970.
He was the driving force behind Brazil’s 1970 team, which is largely recognised as one of the finest teams ever to go to the field.
He began his legacy by scoring in his debut with the Brazilian national team at the age of 16 years and nine months, making him the youngest player in history to do so.
He will become the youngest man to play and score in a Fifa World Cup finals match two years later.
Some of football’s greatest players paid homage to Pelé.
Cristiano Ronaldo was among the first to thank Pele for his contributions to the game.
The Portuguese singer referred to the Brazilian icon as the “eternal king” in an Instagram post.
“Pelé is the greatest player in football history,” Ronaldo said. “And there will only be one Pelé.”
“Pelé,” said Dutch star Johan Cruyff, a legend in his own right, “was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic.”
The head of the South African Football Association, Danny Jordaan, said it was a sad day for international football.
“Pelé is arguably the greatest footballer of all time,” said Jordaan. “Pelé wasn’t the tallest but reached the highest heights in the game.
“He was a supporter of African progress in football, and we could always rely on his backing.
“He supported the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa.
“The 2022 Fifa World Cup must have put a smile on his face as the African teams showed great promise.”
Main Image: Pelé, whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento
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