Descanse em paz, Pelé

Brazil legend and football icon, Pelé has passed away aged 82.

An official announcement from Brazil confirmed on Thursday evening the ex-footballer had succumbed to his courageous battle with cancer.

It was reported four weeks ago, by Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, that Pelé had been moved to palliative care after his body stopped responding to chemotherapy. Reports last week suggested the cancer had advanced. In September 2021, he had a tumour removed from his colon.

Pelé’s family was afforded the chance to spend Christmas together with the icon, though his health worsened as the week progressed.

Tributes continue to pour in for Pelé, who remains the only three-time winner of the FIFA World Cup.

A inspiração e o amor marcaram a jornada de Rei Pelé, que faleceu no dia de hoje.

Amor, amor e amor, para sempre.
.
Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today.

Love, love and love, forever. pic.twitter.com/CP9syIdL3i

— Pelé (@Pele) December 29, 2022

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, ‘Pelé‘ is one of the single most influential figures – not just in football but across the global sporting spectrum.

One of the greatest goalscorers in the history of the sport, Pelé’s goalscoring record is a widely disputed topic.

The vast majority of mainstream media outlets have on record 757 first-class goals for the Brazil legend, while some sources (including the man himself) have claimed that he scored in excess of 1,000 goals throughout his career.

Most famous for his legacy with the national team, Pelé made his international debut in July 1957, aged just 16. The following year, he went to the World Cup and scored six goals in four matches as Brazil captured its first of five world titles.

Pelé was at the forefront of his nation’s Joga Bonito brand of football in the 1960s as Brazil won three world titles out of four from 1958 to 1970.

As mentioned, Pelé occupies an exclusive club in which he is the only man with three World Cup winner’s medals. He scored 12 goals in 14 matches at the quadrennial event.

He remains the youngest player to score at the tournament (17 years & 239 days), youngest to score a World Cup hat-trick (17y & 239d), as well as the youngest scorer in a World Cup final (17y & 249d).

Pelé scored a total 77 goals in 92 appearances for the Seleção which, at the time of his death, is the joint-most in Brazil’s history.

At the recent World Cup in Qatar, Neymar equalled Pelé’s 77-goal tally, albeit Brazil were knocked out to Croatia in the quarter-finals – a dagger to the heart of an unwell Pelé.

Following the news that he was moved to end-of-life care, the current Brazil squad shared a message of support for their nation’s most well-known and respected sporting phenomenon.

Estamos com você, Rei!

Seguimos juntos sempre.

📷: Lucas Figueiredo / CBF pic.twitter.com/tSiFsTCebz

— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) December 5, 2022

He spent the bulk of his career with boyhood club Santos, where he won 10 major honours and scored more than 600 ‘official’ goals. The Brazilian outfit have rallied behind the notion their ex-player netted more than 1,000 times in his career, though approximately 450 of them were in exhibitions and friendlies.

Aged 35, Pelé signed for American franchise New York Cosmos where he played for two years before hanging up his boots in 1977.

Beyond his playing career, Pelé was named by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th century. In the 1990s, he was named an ambassador for the United Nations and he also served as Brazil’s Minister of Sport.

In addition, Pelé was awarded the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, becoming the first recipient of this accolade. In January 2014, he was presented with the FIFA Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur in recognition of his contribution to world football.

Pelé was an honourary ambassador for the 2014 World Cup, hosted by his home country and he played a role in the successful bid of Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

The football family has now lost two of its most recognised icons just over two years apart. November 25th this year marked the second anniversary of the passing of Diego Maradona, voted Best Player of the Century together with Pelé.

Obrigado, Pelé, descanse em paz.