Yaser Zubayer Sifat
The legendary footballer and three-time world cup winner Pele has passed away at the age of 82. He was crowned the king of Brazilian football and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century.
The ambassador of “the beautiful game” had been receiving colon cancer treatment since 2021. The medical centre where he had been hospitalized for the last month said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of cancer.
“He is quite fragile in relation to his mobility,” his son Edinho told Globoesporte in early February.
“He had a hip transplant and did not have a proper, ideal rehabilitation. So, he has this mobility problem, which ends up leading to a certain depression.”
Tributes poured in after the Brazil legend dies in São Paulo.
Neymar took to Instagram to pay tribute to the legend. “Pelé changed everything. He transformed football into art, entertainment. Football and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure. Pelé is eternal!”
Erling Halland, the soccer star for Manchester City, posted on Twitter, “Everything you see any player doing, Pelé did it first. RIP.”
Everything you see any player doing, Pelé did it first. RIP ⚽️🤴🏿 pic.twitter.com/SeW0z1hQTm
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) December 29, 2022
His casket was to be carried through the streets of Santos, the coastal city where his illustrious career began, before burial. The funeral was scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
Pele achieved a level of global celebrity few athletes have known. He changed the face of football. Breaking the colour bar and playing barefoot he showed the world that talent can make you win hearts.
Pelé won the World Cup aged 17, the youngest player to lift the world cup trophy. Moving like someone from the future, seeing different things, and running through a different kind of air, A man with a god-given talent, one of the names who will remain forever in the memory.
