London, Europe Brief News – A Brazilian football player Pelé died on Thursday, at the age of 82.
He had been battling cancer, as well as kidney and heart problems.
Pele was hospitalized on November 29. He had been regularly receiving hospital care since September 2021, when a tumor was removed from his colon.
His daughter, Kely Nascimento, confirmed his death in a post on Instagram, sharing a picture of the family holding the hands of the late soccer giant.
Pelé, who had a colon tumour removed in 2021, was readmitted to Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo in November amid deteriorating health.
A hospital statement on Thursday confirmed the death of “our dear King of Football” at 3.27pm local time, “due to the failure of multiple organs, a result of the progression of cancer of colon associated with his previous clinical condition.”
A statement from Pelé’s official Instagram page added: “Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today. On his journey, Edson enchanted the world with his genius in sport, stopped a war, carried out social works all over the world and spread what he most believed to be the cure for all our problems: love. His message today becomes a legacy for future generations. Love, love and love, forever.”
Wave of condolences
Pele’s death sparked a wave of condolences from around the world, with the government of Brazil declaring three days of mourning.
Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva posted an extended tribute to Pelé on Twitter, writing how he felt privileged to have seen the late star in action.
“There was never a Number 10 like him,” Lula wrote, referencing the number Pelé wore while playing for Brazil’s national team.
Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar Jr. wrote that “Pelé changed everything,” giving a voice to the poor, to Black people and giving visibility to Brazil.
Brazil’s CBF soccer federation said Pelé “gave us a new Brazil and we can only thank him for his legacy.”
Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo posted a tribute on his Instagram page, offering his condolences to the people of Brazil, saying the death of “King Pelé” has sent great pain throughout the football world.
