The standard-bearer of “the beautiful game’’ and three-time World Cup winner Pele, died yesterday at age 82.
He had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. He had been hospitalized for the past month with multiple ailments.
Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, Pele spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team.
His grace, athleticism and mesmerizing moves transfixed players and fans. He orchestrated a fast, fluid style that revolutionized the sport — a samba-like flair that personified his country’s elegance on the field.
He carried Brazil to football’s heights and became a global ambassador for his sport in a journey that began on the streets of Sao Paulo state, where he would kick a sock stuffed with newspapers or rags.
In the conversation about football’s greatest players, only the late Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are mentioned alongside Pele.
Different sources, counting different sets of games, list Pele’s goal totals anywhere between 650 (league matches) and 1,281 (all senior matches, some against low-level competition.)
