Wednesday 08 / May / 2024
Sao Paolo : Brazil's three-time World-cup winning football legend, Pele passed away at the age of 82 following a cancer battle, Al Jazeera reported on Friday citing his agent Joe Fraga who confirmed the news of his demise.
Considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, Pele was in poor health in recent months and has had quite a few stints in the hospital. The three-time World Cup champion, whose actual name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was reportedly dealing with kidney and heart issues and was hospitalised since November with multiple ailments.
In September 2021, Pele had a colon tumour removed, however on November 29, he was checked into the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao
Paulo, according to Al Jazeera.
Pele, widely regarded as the game's most gifted player, guided Brazil to three World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970. With 77 goals in 92 games, he continues to be the top goal scorer for Brazil.
A look at massive achievements of 'Black Pearl' Pele
When you talk about the beautiful game of football then the first name which comes to your mind is legend Pele. Edson Arantes do Nascimento popularly known as Pele was born on October 23 1940 in Tres Coracoes in Brazil. The son of Fluminense footballer Dondinho and Celeste Arantes. He was the elder of two siblings. He was named after the American inventor Thomas Alva Edison. He received the nickname "Pele" during his school days.
Pele has also been known for connecting the phrase "The Beautiful Game" with football. Also known as a 'Black Pearl' Pele was a prolific goal-scorer who was known for his ability to anticipate opponents in the area and finish off chances with an accurate and powerful shot with either foot. The most famous and possibly the best-paid athlete in the world Pele was part of the Brazilian national teams that won three World Cups. Pele is the most successful top-division scorer in the sport with 541 goals in 560 games. His total of 1283 goals in 1363 games including the friendlies
In 1956 de Brito took Pele to Santos to try out for professional club Santos Football Club. Pele impressed Santos coach Lula during his trial and he signed a professional contract with the club in June 1956. Pele was highly promoted in the local media as a future superstar.
He made his senior team debut on 7 September 1956 at the age of 15 against Corinthians Santo Andre and had an impressive performance in a 7-1 victory scoring the first goal in his prolific career during the match. When the 1957 season started, Pele was given a starting place in the first team and at the age of 16 became the top scorer in the league.
Ten months after signing professionally the teenager was called up to the Brazil National team. Pele's first international match was a 2-1 defeat against Argentina on 7 July 1957 at the Maracana. In that match, he scored his first goal for Brazil aged 16 years and nine months and he remains the youngest goal-scorer for his country.
In the 1958 FIFA World Cup, Pele arrived in Sweden sidelined by a knee injury but his colleagues stood together and insisted upon his selection. He was at the time the youngest player ever to participate in the World Cup. Against France in the semi-final, Brazil was leading 2-1 at halftime, and then Pele scored a hat-trick becoming the youngest in World Cup history to do so.
On 29 June 1958, Pele became the youngest player to play in a world cup match at 17 years and 249 days. He scored two goals in that final as Brazil beat Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm, the capital. Pele hit the post and then Vava scored two goals to give Brazil the lead. His first goal where he flicked the ball over a defender before volleying into the corner of the net, was selected as one of the best goals in the history of the World Cup. It was in the 1958 World Cup that Pele began wearing a jersey with number 10. The press proclaimed Pele the greatest revelation of the 1958 World Cup, and he was also retroactively given the Silver Ball as the second-best player of the tournament, behind Didi.
The Black Pearl won his first major title with Santos in 1958 as the team won the Campeonato Paulista; Pele would finish the tournament as top scorer with 58 goals a record that stands till today.
