Brazil: death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé (1940-2022)

"Our greatest football idol died on Thursday in Sao Paulo (Brazil). Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, 82, died at the Albert Einstein Hospital. The king of football was diagnosed in 2021 with colon cancer and his death was confirmed this afternoon as a result of the illness," announced the CBF on 29/12/2022.

During his professional football career, Pelé won three World Cups with the Brazilian national team (1958, 1962 and 1970). He is the only player to have achieved this feat. He also won six Brazilian Championships with Santos FC (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1968) and one American Championship with New York Cosmos (1977). The Brazilian was named the best player of the 1970 World Cup and the best South American player in 1973, before receiving an honorary Ballon d'Or in 2013.

"Before Pelé, football was just a sport. Pele changed everything. He turned football into art, into entertainment. He gave a voice to the poor, to the black community and above all he gave visibility to Brazil. Football and Brazil have risen in status thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic…