Brazilian Football Legend Pele Dies at 82
Pele, the legendary Brazilian footballer who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and most well-known athletes of all time, died at the age of 82.
Pele died on Thursday at 3:27 p.m. (21:37 GMT +3) at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo “due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition.”
The death of the only player to win the World Cup three times was announced on his Instagram account.
“Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who peacefully passed away today,” the post said.
Pele, real name Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was remembered for his many achievements both on and off the football field.
The memorial post on Pele’s social media page emphasized the star’s international appeal, referring to an incident during the Nigerian civil war in which opposing factions agreed to a ceasefire in order to watch a match Pele played in the country.
“On his journey, Edson enchanted the world with his genius in sport, stopped a war, carried out social works all over the world and spread what he most believed to be the cure for all our problems: love. Today, his message becomes a legacy for future generations,” it said.
A public funeral will be held outside Sao Paulo, Brazil, at the Vila Belmiro Stadium, where he played for the Santos football club for many years. The casket will pass in front of his 100-year-old mother, Celeste Arantes’ house before being placed in the center of the field.
On Monday and Tuesday of next week, the public will be able to pay their respects there.
Pele, widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, led Brazil to three World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970. With 77 goals in 92 games, he is still Brazil’s leading scorer.
Following Argentina’s World Cup victory on December 18 in Qatar, Pele shared a photo of their team lifting the trophy on social media, praising captain Lionel Messi, France’s rising star Kylian Mbappe, and surprise semifinalists Morocco.
“Today, football continues to tell its story, as always, in an enthralling way,” he said. “What a gift it was to watch this spectacle of the future of our sport.”
Brazil players and fans in Qatar also unfurled banners on and off the field showing the football legend and expressing their best wishes for his recovery.
Thank you to Pele for everything. You have done a lot for the world. Rest in peace.
