(Football news) Brazil football legend Pele, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history, has passed away at the age of 82 after a battle with cancer. Considered to be an icon of the game, Pele is the only footballer to win the World Cup three times, the first of which came in 1958 where he scored a brace against Sweden in the final at the age of 17. He is also Brazil’s joint all-time top scorer with 77 goals in 92 matches and will leave behind an unmatched legacy that future generations can take inspiration from.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé grew up in a poor family in São Paulo but his mercurial talent ensured that he rose through the ranks quickly, winning the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups with Brazil. He is one of only five players to have scored in two World Cup finals and is also the youngest player in history to have netted a goal in the tournament (age 17 in 1958). Pele scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup appearances and provided 10 assists, the most by any player in the history of the competition.

If that’s not all, Pele holds the all-time goal record for Santos, guiding the team to two Copa Libertadores titles and six Brazilian league crowns during his 18 years at the club. He finished his career with 1,281 goals in 1,363 games, eventually retiring from football in 1977 after a stint at New York Cosmos. In 2013, Pele was awarded the FIFA Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur in recognition of his illustrious career and was named in the Ballon d’Or Dream Team in 2020. The Brazil government has declared a three day mourning period after Pele’s demise.

“Before Pelé, 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 Pelé football was just a sport. Pelé has changed it all. He turned football into art, into entertainment. He gave voice to the poor, to black people and especially: he gave visibility to Brazil. Soccer and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He’s gone but his magic remains. Pelé is forever.”

Brazil joint top-scorer Neymar, who also began his career with Santos

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