Football fans around the globe Thursday mourned the sad passing of Pele, a legendary Brazilian footballer, and three times FIFA World Cup winner. Many people consider him to be the greatest player to ever grace the beautiful game of football.
However, fans were not alone in their sorrow, as other famous football players of this generation too paid tribute to the Brazilian legend who inspired millions to come.
Football icon Pele passes away
Cristiano Ronaldo: “Rest in peace, King Pele”
Leo Messi too bids him farewell.
Kylian Mbappe: “His legacy will never be forgotten.”
Neymar jr: “Before Pelé football was just a sport. Pelé has changed it all. He turned football into art.”
Ronaldo: “Your legacy will transcend generations.”
FIFA: “Rest in peace, Pelé. Our thoughts and sympathies are with your family, friends and all who had the joy of watching you play.”
Brazilian govt announces a “three-day National period of mourning for the Brazilian hero.
Pele passes away after battling cancer
Pele passed away at the age of 82 in his native country after a battle with cancer.
Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein hospital, where he was undergoing treatment, confirmed that he died “due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition.”
Pele’s admission to the hospital raised alarm bells all over the world before his daughter assured the admirers that nothing was serious. However, over his moth long stay, his health worsened.
Considered to be one of the greatest players to ever touch a football, Pele, in many ways, represented a dream of every native Brazilian. He grew up in poverty but became a magician with the ball at his feet to put not only himself but his country on the footballing map of the world.
He set numerous records during his playing career, none more impressive than being the only player in the history of the sport to win three World Cups.
During a 21-year career, he scored between 1,281 and 1,283 goals, as his number of matches remains an issue of dispute.
Pele also won two Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the Champions League, and two Intercontinental Cups, the annual tournament held between the best teams in Europe and South America.
