Pele, probably the greatest player in football history, passed away at the age of 82. Over the course of a 21-year career, he is credited with scoring a world-record 1,281 goals in 1,363 games, including 77 goals in 92 international games.
Pele was selected as Fifa’s Player of the Century in 2000. Pele is the only player to have won the World Cup three times, taking home the trophy in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
In recent years, he has experienced kidney and prostate issues
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In September 2021, the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo performed surgery to remove a colon tumor that had been found during normal examinations. Also, In the final days of November 2022, he was readmitted to the hospital.
Kely Nascimento, his daughter, often posted updates on social media from the hospital to inform her followers of her father’s status.
She wrote:
“On Thursday, I uploaded a photo of what looked like Pele’s family’s hands on his body in the hospital.” “We owe everything we have to you. You have our undying love. Peace be with you.”
Pele passed away “due to the failure of many organs, a result of the advancement of colon cancer related with his prior clinical condition,” the hospital said in a statement.
On Twitter, Pele published:
“King Pele’s journey was defined by love and inspiration, and he passed away gently today. Love always and forever.”
The Confederation of Brazilian Football stated:
“Pele was much more than just the greatest athlete in history.
“The best representative of a successful Brazil who showed no fear in the face of adversity was our football king. He gave us three World Cups in exchange for his father’s promise of one.
“We are extremely grateful for the King’s legacy because it brought us a new Brazil. I’m grateful, Pele.”
Three days have been set aside for national mourning by President Jair Bolsonaro.
Santos, Pele’s old team, announced information about his funeral. His remains will be transported from the hospital to the club’s Estadio Urbano Caldeira on Monday morning when the coffin will be positioned in the center of the field for mourners to pay their respects.
A private family burial will be attended on Tuesday by a parade through the streets of Santos in Sao Paulo.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, rose to fame when, at the age of 17, he assisted Brazil in winning the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. By the knockout rounds, he had forced his way into the starting lineup.
He scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Wales in the quarterfinals, three goals in a comeback victory over France in the semifinals, and two goals in a 5-2 victory over the hosts in the championship game.
At the age of 15, Pele made his club debut for Santos, scoring in a 7-1 victory over Corinthians de Santo André.
It was the first of 643 goals he would score for the club in official tournaments over the course of 19 years, while Santos claims the number is actually higher than 1,000 when exhibition matches are included, many of which were against illustrious European opposition.
Pele reportedly scored 1,283 goals in 1,367 games, according to the Brazilian Football Confederation and Santos, although Fifa believes it was 1,281 goals in 1,366 games.
Pele, then 21 years old, opened his team’s 1962 World Cup campaign with a magnificent individual goal in a 2-0 victory over Mexico, but he suffered an injury in the following game and had to watch as his team successfully defended their championship from the sidelines.
His most famous World Cup victory was a third of a trilogy. He was the focal point of a sensational attacking team that swept to the title in 1970, defeating Italy 4-1 in the final after being disqualified from the 1966 tournament in England.
Pele’s magical moments have transcended eras and defined the history of the sport, from his tears of joy on teammate Nilton Santos’ chest to his embrace with England captain Bobby Moore.
He concluded his club career playing for the New York Cosmos alongside legendary German player Franz Beckenbauer and fellow 1970 World Cup champion Carlos Alberto in a star-studded squad.
“There are composers like Beethoven and the rest. There is Pele and the rest in football “In 2000, he stated.
Pele won the title of the greatest player in a BBC Sport poll in 2020, beating out Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona, and Johan Cruyff.
Records of Great Pele
- Scored a reported 1,281 goals in 1,363 games
- The only player to win three World Cups
- Made 14 appearances at the World Cup finals, scoring 12 goals
- Racked up 126 goals in 1959 alone
A young genius, a World Cup hero, and an international symbol
Along with that famous photo of another shirtless embrace with England captain Bobby Moore (above), a gesture packed with mutual respect, after Brazil’s 1-0 group game victory in Guadalajara, the image of the shirtless Pele being carried aloft by team-mates and supporters after the World Cup was won in Mexico City in 1970 is seared on the memory.
His ability to make football a spectacle of natural grace and beauty when he missed as much as when he scored is an easy way to gauge his greatness.
Pele, one of the first international stars in the game, displayed his talent while playing for Santos as a teenager and for New York Cosmos as a star earner.
Anywhere that football is played, Pele’s name will be associated with it.
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