Pelé, Football god and Brazilian National Treasure

With great sadness, the family of the great football legend, Pele, announced his passing just days before 2022 ended.

In an Instagram post, his daughter Kely Nascimento wrote:

Everything that we are, is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.

He died at the Albert Einstein hospital in Brazil on Thursday, December 29, 2022. A public wake will be held for him on Tuesday at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium, home to the Santos Football Club. His body will be moved from the Albert Einstein Hospital at dawn on Monday.

The wake will continue until Tuesday at 10 am, local time. The body will then be carried to the Memorial Necrpole Ecumnica cemetery in Santos.

The grief following his death reverberated throughout the world of football. It has also plunged Brazil, a country that treated not only as a National Treasure but a hero as well, into mourning.

Pele is, without a doubt, one of the best footballers to have ever played the sport. He is widely considered a football genius and football royalty with many referring to him as the King of Football.

Born to Play

I was born to play football, just like Beethoven was born to write music and Michelangelo was born to paint, Pele famously said.

Coming from humble means, Pele reached the top of football through his skill and perseverance. His father was Dondinho, also a football player who served as Pele’s earliest coach and mentor.

The King

Pele is the only football player to have won three FIFA World Cup titles, thus cementing his position as the best football player to have ever lived.

His first win came as a teenager in 1958. He won again in 1962 and 1970. His 1970 team is widely regarded as one of the best sides ever to have taken to the football pitch.

Throughout his career, he scored more than 1,300 goals. He has been named to the 1984 FIFA Order of Merit.

France Football, the Ballon dOr awarding body also clarified that technically, Pele has won the most Ballon dOr awards, even more than Lionel Messi with seven.

This was after they went over their list in 2016 to see who should have been awarded the honor had it included players outside of Europe. Prior to 1995, only European players were eligible for the award.

In their recalculation, they determined that Pele should have won in 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, and 1970.

To make up for it, France Football even printed a magazine cover with Pele and his deserved trophies.

Pele also holds the record for the most career goals made with the Guinness Book of World Records listing his goals at 1,283 times, scoring over 1,363 matches.

He also holds the record for the Most Goals in a Calendar year with 127, which he achieved while with Santos FC.

The legend has also scored the most hat-tricks with 92, the most by any other football player in history.

He is also the youngest player to score and win at the FIFA World Cup Final. This was in 1958 when he was just 17 years and 249 days old.

Death

Pel had been dealing with colon cancer for some time. Back in November, he was admitted to the Albert Einstein Hospital because of a respiratory infection.

In an announcement last week, the hospital said that the legends health had worsened and that his cancer had progressed.

On Thursday, he died of multiple organ failure related to colon cancer. He was 82.

Legacy and Tributes

For more than 60 years, the name Pele has been synonymous with football. Coming from humble means, he has inspired the careers of many of the players that came after him, many of whom offer tributes to the legend following his death.

One of the first players who took to social media to share his grief was Neymar.

In his post, he said:

“Before Pel, 10 was just a number. I’ve read this phrase somewhere, at some point in my life. But this sentence, beautiful, is incomplete.

I would say before Pel football was just a sport. Pel has changed it all. He turned football into art, into entertainment. Gave voice to the poor, blacks, and mostly: Gave visibility to Brazil. Soccer and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He’s gone but his magic remains. Pel is FOREVER!

Cristiano Ronaldo also used Instagram to share his tribute.

He said:

“My deep condolences to all of Brazil, and in particular to the family of Edson Arantes do Nascimento. A mere ‘goodbye’ to the eternal King Pel will never be enough to express the pain that the entire football world is currently embracing.

An inspiration to so many millions, a reference yesterday, today, and forever. The love you always showed me was reciprocated in every moment we shared even from distance. He will never be forgotten and his memory will live forever in each and every one of us football lovers. Rest in peace King Pel.”

French player and recent World Cup runner-up Kylian Mbappe took to Twitter to share his feelings saying, The King of Football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING.

Mbappe’s tweet is more poignant given that one of Pele’s final tweets was congratulating the French player for breaking one of his records.

Coming off his World Cup high, Lionel Messi was much more subdued in his tribute but sources close to the football star report that he was saddened by the news of Pele’s passing.

Messi posted several pictures of him and Pele on Instagram with the caption: “Rest in peace, Pel.”

Football clubs also gave tribute to the star.

AC Milan made their grief known saying: We are deeply saddened to hear that football legend Pel has passed away. May we pass on our sincerest condolences to his friends and family.

Rest in peace, O Rei.

The Premier League also gave tribute. Tweeting:

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Pele, an extraordinarily gifted footballer who transcended our sport and inspired millions throughout his remarkable career.

Our thoughts and sincere condolences go to Pele’s family and friends.

FIFA, with whom Pele has had a strong relationship with, released a tribute and obituary for the football star. Since his death, they have released several videos and posts that are a testament to the footballers greatness.