Pelé, the Brazilian soccer star, has died at the age of 82

Skinconsidered one of the best soccer players in the world and winner of three World Cups, died at the age of 82 after suffering from cancer, media and family members reported on social networks on Thursday.

The Brazilian star was in a hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, receiving palliative care.

“We love you infinitely. Rest in peace,” his daughter published Kely Nascimento on his Instagram account.

Who was Pelé, the “king” of soccer?

His name was Edson Arantes do Nascimentobut soccer made him its “king” and history will remember him with a universal diminutive: Pelé.

Paradoxically, it is the black and white images that best capture all the light and brilliance that this genius gave to the footballclosing a life of “10” this Thursday when he died in Sao Paulo at the age of 82.

On June 29, 1958, the world was stunned by this 17-year-old who scored two goals in the World Cup final against Sweden, in Solna, to give Brazil (5-2) his first title.

The speed of his shots, dribbles, technique, were to take off his hat. Skilled with both feet, powerful scoring with a header like nobody else at the time despite his modest 1.72 m, his figure allowed Brazilian soccer to become the “samba soccer” acclaimed throughout the world.

“King” he won three world titles with the Brazilian team (1958-1962-1970), a record for a footballer. Before Qatar-2022 he was the Seleção’s top scorer (77 goals in 92 games), now he shares that honor with the star Neymar.

He is also the top scorer for Santos (1,091 goals in 1,116 matches), with whom he won two Libertadores Cups and two Intercontinentals in 18 years.

“You are the best of all time,” the German Franz Beckenbauer, a teammate at the New York Cosmos, once told him, where he ended his career between 1975 and 1977.

Born on October 23, 1940 in a poor home in the city of Tres Coraçoes, in the state of Minas Gerais (southeast), as a child he went to live with his parents in Bauru (inland Sao Paulo) and sold peanuts on the streets .

He started playing soccer when he was a child and at the age of 16 he signed a professional contract with Santos, where he consolidated his career, until his transfer to the Cosmos for 7 million dollars, a record at the time.

three-time champion

Of frail bearing in his youth, the “Rey” debuted in the Brazilian team against Argentina for the Roca Cup, in 1957, played at the legendary Maracaná in Rio de Janeiro. In the second half he left the bench and scored a goal, but without avoiding the 2-1 defeat.

And then came the 1958 World Cup, in which he fulfilled a dream and a promise as a child. “In the 1950 Cup final, Brazil lost to Uruguay and my father was very upset. When I saw him in tears I asked him not to cry anymore, because I was going to win a World Cup for him,” he used to say.

His figure was also projected in the conquest of the two-time championship, in Chile-1962. Although that time, due to an injury, he gave up stardom to the spectacular Garrincha.

Eight years later he would have his revenge in Mexico -Brazil was eliminated in the first round in England-1966, where Pelé was beaten to a pulp-, when what is considered the best soccer team in history became three-time champion.

There in the Aztec stadiumAlong with stars like Rivellino, Jairzinho or Tostao, Pelé made his king’s crown final by dint of goals and luxuries.

A year earlier, on November 19, 1969 at the Maracana, “O Rei” scored his celebrated thousandth goal from a penalty against Vasco da Gama, a figure questioned because it includes scores in unofficial games.

In 2000, the FIFA He was proclaimed a footballer of the 20th century based on the opinion of specialists and federations. Another popular vote, also promoted by the highest rector of soccer, proclaimed the Argentine Diego Armando Maradona.

Already in 1981 the French sports newspaper L’Equipe had awarded him the title of Athlete of the Century, also ratified in 1999 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Minister, singer and actor

His soccer gave him worldwide fame and with it he met political, artistic and business personalities. His closeness to power and his tenuous support for the anti-racist cause drew criticism throughout his life.

He tried to get away from scandals, but at the end of his life, when his health had already deteriorated, especially with the appearance of a colon tumor removed in September 2021, he confessed that he had several “affairs”.

He had seven recognized children, three with his first wife, two daughters with the second and another who obtained a court order to accept her. Edinho, another of his sons, was arrested for drug trafficking.

Pelé was also on the big screen, appearing in at least a dozen works, including documentaries about his life.

After he hung up his boots, Brazil is still looking for the successor to “10”: Zico, Sócrates, Romario, Ronaldo, Kaká, Robinho, Ronaldinho and the last of them Neymar, also from Santos and protagonist of the most expensive signing in the history, from Barcelona to PSG for 222 million euros in 2017.

But beyond astronomical contracts, no one takes the crown from “O Rei”.

(With information from Reuters and AFP.)

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