Brazilian football legend Pele dies at age 82

Profile photo: Brazilian football legend Pele lifts the World Cup at the opening ceremony of the 2006 World Cup in Germany (June 9, 2006)

Brazilian soccer legend Pele died Thursday at the age of 82. He has led the Brazilian national team to three World Cup titles, a record.

He was hospitalized at the end of November. Doctors said in December he had cancer with kidney and heart problems. He underwent surgery to remove a colorectal tumor in September 2021.

The Albert Einstein hospital, where Bailey was treated, said in a statement that Bailey died of multiple organ failures.

Bailey’s daughter, Kely Nascimento, wrote on the Instagram social app, “You gave us everything. We love you forever. Rest in peace.

Pele performed amazingly on the World Cup stage, leading Santos to club events and international tours, and later in his career with the New York Cosmos Club, helping to fuel a passion for football in the United States. He is considered one of the greatest football players of all time.

Pele was born in 1940 in Tres Corazonis, about 250 kilometers northwest of Rio de Janeiro, and signed with Santos at the age of 15.

He played for the Brazilian national team at the age of 16 and made his debut in the 1958 World Cup at the age of 17, scoring a goal in the opening match, and becoming the youngest player to score in the men’s World Cup. He scored three goals in the second game, becoming the youngest player to score three goals in a single match.

Pele scored two more goals in the World Cup final to help Brazil win the title and again in 1962 and 1970.

He played a total of 92 international matches, scored 77 goals, and was awarded the title of FIFA’s 20th-century co-player along with Argentina’s Maradona.

After retiring from Santos, Pele joined the New York Cosmos Club of the North American Soccer League in 1975 and played for three seasons.

After his retirement as Brazil’s Minister of Sport, Pelé named him a UNESCO Champion of Sport, citing his “outstanding commitment to promoting sport and helping vulnerable children.”

In a 2020 tweet, Bailey said he was proud of his relationship with the United Nations and helping to promote breastfeeding and eradicate illiteracy in Brazil.

The tweet said, “I stand by participating today in the cause of kindness by NGOs, public institutions, and my sponsors. This is part of my legacy and I applaud the other football legends who have followed this path to make the world a better place with beautiful events. Neymar, a Brazilian footballer, and Paris Saint-Germain star said football was just a sport before Pele.

Nemar wrote on the Instagram social app, “He turned football into art and entertainment. The king of football gave football and Brazil status. He’s gone, but his charm remains. Bailey is immortal!

French star Kylian Mbappe says the Pele legend will endure.

Mbappe tweeted, “The king of the ball has left us, but his legend will never be forgotten.

Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Messi tweeted Thursday, “Pele, rest in peace.

(Part of this article is based on reports from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters.) ）