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Pele celebrates his victory in 1970.
He was credited with setting a world record, scoring 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances over a 21-year career, including 77 goals in 92 caps for country.
Pelé is the only player to have won three World Cups, lifting the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970. Pelé was named FIFA’s Player of the Century in 2000.
He has suffered from kidney and prostate problems over the years.
Pele had a tumor removed from his colon in September 2021 at the Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo after the tumor was detected during a routine examination. He was hospitalized again at the end of November 2022.
His daughter Keli Nascimento has been keeping fans informed of her father’s condition via social media from the hospital.
On Dec. 29, she posted a photo of what appear to be Pele family members’ hands on her body in the hospital, writing, “All that we are because of you. We love you unceasingly, rest in peace.”
The hospital confirmed that Pele was dead. “Due to multiple organ failure. This is the result of colon cancer progression related to its previous symptoms.
Pele’s Twitter account posted: “Inspiration and love are the milestones in the journey of Pele, the king, who died peacefully today, love, love and love forever.”
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Pele
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, became a world star at the age of 17, helping Brazil win the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
He scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Wales in the quarter-final, netting a hat-trick against France in the semi-final. and two goals in a 5-2 victory over the hosts in the final.
Pelé made his Santos debut at the age of 15, scoring in a 7-1 win over Corinthians de Santo Andre.
It was the first of 643 goals he scored for the club in official competitions in 19 years, although Santos scored more than 1,000 goals in total including friendlies, often against high-profile opponents in the competition.
At the 1962 World Cup, Pele, then 21, scored the only goal in a 2-0 win against Mexico in the first game. But he was injured in the next game and had to sit on the sidelines while his team defended their title.
In the World Cup trilogy final victory was his most notable victory. After failing to kick in a match in England in 1966, he became the centerpiece of the title-winning forward squad in 1970, scoring his first goal in a 4-1 win against Italy in the final.
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From tears of joy on Nilton Santos’ chest to an embrace with England captain Bobby Moore. Pelé’s Magic Moment Spanning eras and defining the history of football.
He finished his club career as part of the New York Cosmos squad, playing alongside German legend Franz Beckenbauer and fellow World Cup winner Carlos Alberto.
“In music there is Beethoven and others, in football there is Pele and others,” he said in 2000.
In a poll conducted by BBC Sport in 2020, Pele was voted the greatest player. ahead of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff.
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He finished his club career as part of the New York Cosmos.
“Child prodigy, World Cup hero, world icon”
The image of a shirtless Pelé being lifted up by his teammates and supporters after winning the 1970 World Cup in Mexico City is memorable. Along with the famous photo of his shirtless embrace with England captain Bobby Moore (pictured above), a gesture of mutual respect after Brazil’s 1-0 win in Guadalajara.
His greatness can be measured in the simple fact that he manages to make the kick manifest as a natural grace when he misses as much as when he shoots.
One of the first global players, Pelé channeled his prominence through a career spanning from a young age with Santos to the New York Cosmos.
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The Brazilian national team sends greetings from Qatar to Pele after learning that he is in hospital.
