Tributes are flooding in for Brazilian football giant Pele, who passed away overnight after a long battle with cancer.
The standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. He had been hospitalised for the last month with multiple ailments.
In the conversation about football’s greatest players, only the late Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are mentioned alongside Pelé.
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Tributes have come from global sporting greats including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar.
Legendary former England striker Gary Lineker led tributes, calling Pele the “most divine of footballers and joyous of men”.
“He may have left us, but he’ll always have footballing immortality.”
A statement from Pele’s hospital confirmed he died of multiple organ failure.
“The Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein regretfully confirms the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, today, December 29, 2022, at 3:27 pm, due to the failure of multiple organs, a result of the progression of cancer of colon associated with his previous clinical condition.
“Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein sympathizes with the family and everyone who suffers from the loss of our dear King of Football.”
Speaking on TODAY, sports journalist Adam Peacock said Pele would be remembered for decades or even centuries to come.
“He inspired so many because he made the game look so easy, and football is one of those sports that it’s easy to comprehend and try it but it is very difficult to master it,” he said.
“He mastered it … like no other in many eyes.
“Because of that background, because he came from absolutely nothing and a lot in Brazil do, they’re driven by the fact they’re raised with nothing in their bank account, they just love the game.
“He obviously had a natural talent which was beyond many his contemporaries. He won a World Cup when he was 17. The next youngest after Pele to appear in a knockout match was Garang Kuol at the World Cup just gone, the young Australian who is about to go overseas. It took over 50 years for someone of a similar age to play in a knockout match.
“What he did was unfathomable at the time and remained so and will do long after his passing.”
“We lost Maradona a couple of years ago. Pele and Maradona held each other in a certain regard, and they were held highly by anyone who watched football. It was all Pele, Maradona, Maradona, Pele. That debate with Messi goes on forever.
“What a player. He was a 170cm. He was so explosively quick. He had the ability to score goals, create, do things and bring his teammates into play. His 1970 Brazil team is regarded as the greatest ever team.
That is up in another category all together. He was a central part of it as the main attacking midfielder and striker. He had a bit going for him on a football pitch, Pele. Could do it all.
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