Pele “made football an art,” said current Brazil striker Neymar. His Portuguese colleague Cristiano Ronaldo called him an “inspiration for many millions” of people. With a simple “rest in peace, Pele” and a photo that shows the two hugging, record world footballer and world champion Lionel Messi said goodbye to Instagram. “Football lost the greatest player in its history today – and I lost a unique friend,” said German football “king” Franz Beckenbauer. “Football will be yours forever. You will always be. Thank you for your game, O Rei!”
Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva praised Pelé as a national hero. “Few Brazilians have carried the name of our country as far as he has,” said Lula, who is due to take office on Sunday, on Twitter. US President Joe Biden also bowed to Pelé. With his rise from humble circumstances to legend, he “showed what’s possible”.
Pelé leaves behind seven children and his wife Márcia Cibele Aoki. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, as the striker was called by his full name, shaped football like no other. Pelé was already a legend in his lifetime. World governing body FIFA had named him – like Argentinian Diego Maradona – the “Player of the 20th Century”. The striker enchanted the masses with his technical skills and goal-getting qualities even before football became a live TV mass event and billion-dollar business.
“O Rei” (the king), as he was known, was the only player to win the world championship three times. In 1958 in Sweden, 1962 in Chile and 1970 in Mexico he led the “Seleção” to three World Cup triumphs with outstanding performances. In the triumphant 4-1 win against Italy in the 1970 final, Pelé scored the 1-0. It was his twelfth and last goal in a World Cup tournament. In 1971 he announced his retirement from the national team. With 77 goals in 92 international matches, Pelé is still the Seleção’s all-time record goalscorer.
He spent almost his entire career at FC Santos. Pelé played for the popular club in the port city of Santos near São Paulo from 1956 to 1974 and won, among other things, 26 national titles, once the World Cup and twice the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of today’s Champions League. It wasn’t until he was 35 that he moved to New York Cosmos for two years. He was never under contract with a European club.
The official cause of death, according to the hospital, was multiple organ failure as a result of progression of colon cancer related to his previous illness. The Brazilian football association CBF published a photo of “King Pele” on Twitter. “Forever” was written above the portrait of the football legend in black and white.
Recently, Pelé’s health had continued to deteriorate. The newspaper “Folha de S. Paulo” reported that Pelé no longer responded to chemotherapy. Accordingly, cancer treatment at the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo was suspended, and Pelé received only palliative care.
On the Wednesday before Christmas, the hospital announced that Pele’s cancer was progressing and required more intensive care due to kidney and heart problems. Two days later, his daughter posted a photo of her father in bed, both embracing. Among other things, she wrote on Instagram: “One more night together.”
Pelé has also had hip problems and problems with his spine and knees in the past. A kidney stone was removed after a urinary tract infection. During a routine examination, the doctors finally discovered a tumor on the colon, which was removed in late summer.