Pelé, the greatest soccer player ever and the most decorated athlete in the history of “the Beautiful Game,” has died at the age of 82.
via: NBC News
His daughter confirmed the death on Instagram.
“Everything we are is because of you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace,” Kely Nascimento wrote.
Pelé was 82.
The Brazilian legend, whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, helped his country win the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and remains the national team’s co-scoring leader with 77 goals in 92 matches.
Brazil’s current superstar, Neymar, tied him at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, scoring his 77th goal in 124 games.
Pelé became the World Cup’s youngest scorer in 1958 when he bagged a goal against Wales at the age of 17 years and 239 days, when the tournament was held in Stockholm. His record still stands, and to date, he is still the only player under 18 to score in a World Cup.
He would also help Brazil triumph in the 1962 tournament in Chile and, after injury ruled him out of the competition four years later in England, he lit up the Mexico World Cup in 1970.
Speaking to soccer’s governing body, FIFA, for Pelé’s 80th birthday tribute, Tarcisio Burgnich, an Italian defender in the final that year, admitted that he had struggled against the Brazilian star.
“I told myself before the game, ‘He’s made of skin and bones just like everyone else,’” he said. “But I was wrong.”
Pelé’s name and dominance on the pitch came to represent the sport itself.
RIP.
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