Pelé was one of the most legendary football players of all time. The Brazilian player, who played forward, is often listed as one of the most successful and known sports figures of the 20th century. He passed away at the age of 82 on December 29, 2022.
His death has sent shockwaves across the globe for football and sports fans. Several people including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have paid tribute to him. So let’s find out in detail about the cause of death of this football legend.
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Who Was Pelé?
Born as Edson Arantes do Nascimento on 23 October 1940 in Brazil, he was famously known as Pele. He started playing for the Brazilian national Football team at the age of 16.
During his international career, he won three FIFA World Cups in the years 1958, 1962, and 1970. He is the only player to achieve this feat. He scored 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil, becoming the joint-top goal scorer for the country.
For the club Santos, he was the all-time top goalscorer with 643 goals in 659 matches. He retired from sports in 1977 and became the global ambassador for football. Pele has been frequently mentioned in lists of the greatest players of all time by several publications.
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How Did He Die?
Pele passed away at the age of 82 on December 29. He had been hospitalized for the past month. In September 2021, he had been diagnosed with colon cancer and had been struggling with age-related illnesses as well.
His daughter, Kelly Cristina Nascimento, had been sharing his health updates via Instagram. She shared a photo of the loved ones surrounding Pelé by his hospital bed.
Several celebrities and sports people paid a tribute to him. Cristiano Ronaldo took to social media to remember the football legend. Lionel Messi, who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, shared a series of photos on Instagram, with him and Pelé.
Former President Barack Obama wrote: “Pelé was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game. And as one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together. Our thoughts are with his family and everyone who loved and admired him.”
