According to an article by AP News, Brazilian football legend, Pelé passed away on Thursday at the age of 82.
He had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer from 2021 and has been in hospital for the previous month for different types of conditions.
His death was confirmed by his agent, Joe Fraga.
Had an outstanding career in Football
In his almost two decades of footballing career, he had won a total of three World Cups and have been winning the hearts of fans worldwide.
He was dubbed football’s best goal scorer during his time with Brazilian Football Club Santos and the National Team of Brazil.
He first became known to the world at the age of 17 during the 1958 World Cup.
He was the youngest footballer ever at the World Cup and scored two goals in the 1958 World Cup final against Sweden.
He was so famous that during 1967, certain factions in Nigeria’s civil war agreed on a ceasefire just so that Pelé could play and exhibition game in the country.
Britain’s late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II knighted him in 1997 and USA’s then President, Ronald Reagan even offered his hand to Pelé for a handshake first when he visited North America to introduce football.
Life after football
Pelé became Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport after his career on Football ended, and even became a successful businessman and a UNESCO and United Nations Ambassador.
He also had acting roles in movies and soap operas and was a composer of songs and had CD recordings in popular Brazilian music.
image source: @CBF_Futebol/Twitter