Brazilian virtuoso Pelé, whose captivating skill and athleticism ensured he was universally regarded as one of football’s greatest players, has died at the age of 82.
Pelé, who had a colon tumour removed last year, was readmitted to Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo in recent days with general swelling amid deteriorating health. He was then moved to palliative care.
Brazil’s all-time record scorer won three World Cups as a player, in 1958, 1962 and 1970, over a 14-year international career that included 72 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil.
Nicknamed “The Black Pearl” and “The King”, Pelé was one of only three players to have scored in four World Cups – and scored a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 games. Tap the link in bio to read more about his legacy.
Pele is widely celebrated as one of the greatest footballers of all time and had netted more than 1000 goals during a 21-year career.
