Pelé, the Brazilian soccer legend, died Thursday in Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein hospital, where he was receiving palliative care.
The 82-year-old superstar, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, had been battling colon cancer since 2021.
Pelé is the only man to have won three World Cups and is regarded as the sport’s all-time greatest player by FIFA (1958, 1962, and 1970).
When he won the World Cup in Sweden, he was only 17 years old. He invented one of soccer’s most exciting moves, the bicycle kick, embodied Brazil’s joyful, graceful Jogo bonito style of play, and stood alone as his country’s all-time leading scorer until this year when Neymar Jr. surpassed him with 77 goals.
Pelé was a legend in his native Brazil, playing for Santos Futebol Clube (S.F.C.), a soccer team in Santos, a coastal town in the state of Sao Paulo.
Following his World Cup victories in 1958 and 1962, he was approached by European clubs such as Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus, and even signed a contract with Inter Milan.
However, due to a fan revolt, the agreement was voided, and Pelé remained. During his 18-year career with Santos, he scored 643 goals and won five national, 12 regional, and three international club championships.
Pelé funeral, burial service, pictures, videos, date, time, venue
Brazil’s Pele’s funeral will be held at Vila Belmiro Stadium in the state of Sao Paulo. The funeral service will also be held between Monday (January 2, 2023) and Tuesday (January 3, 2023).
