PELÉ, often considered the greatest ever to play the game of football, died on THU 29 DEC 2022 at the age of 82 after a bout with colon cancer. He led Brazil to Men’s World Cup titles in 1958, 1962, and 1970.

Born Edson ARANTES DO NASCIMENTO in 1940, Pelé earned his first cap for Brazil in 1957 at the age of 16. He went on to appear in all four Men’s World Cups from 1958 through 1970, playing in fourteen matches and scoring twelve goals. He won the Silver Ball as the second best player at the 1958 Men’s World Cup, and the Golden Ball as the best player at the 1970 Men’s World Cup.

According to reports, he scored a total of 1,281 goals in 1,363 career matches for club and country, including friendlies. He is one of five players to have scored in four or more Men’s World Cup tournaments, alongside Uwe SEELER, Miroslav KLOSE, CRISTIANO RONALDO, and Lionel MESSI. He remains the only person ever to have won three Men’s World Cups as a player.

In addition to his many achievements, Pelé is best known for the joyous style he brought to the football pitch, featuring frequent stepovers, dummies, and brief stops that perplexed defenders. One of his greatest moments occurred during the 1970 final against Italy, when, already leading 3-1, a lengthy sequence of passes led to Pelé, who brought the opposing players to a standstill before placing the ball perfectly into the path of the onrushing CARLOS ALBERTO for a first time finish.

Pelé has regularly been ranked the greatest player in history, alongside Argentina’s Diego MARADONA, who died in 2020. Matches around the world are observing a minute’s applause before kickoff, with players wearing black armbands in tribute.