Fifa said Pele was simply “immortal” after the Brazil legend, named by world football’s governing body as the greatest player of the 20th century, died on Thursday, aged 82.
“For everyone who loves the beautiful game, this is the day we never wanted to come. The day we lost Pele,” Fifa president Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
Pelé (1940-2022): A symbol for football played with passion, gusto and a smile
“Today, we all mourn the loss of the physical presence of our dear Pele, but he achieved immortality a long time ago and therefore he will be with us for eternity.”
Pele is the only footballer, male or female, to have won three Fifa World Cups.
He was 17 when he won with Brazil in Sweden in 1958, scoring twice in the final. Then he won the World Cup again in Chile in 1962, despite being forced out of much of the tournament due to injury.
He lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy for the third and final time in Mexico in 1970.
Infantino added: “Pele had a magnetic presence and, when you were with him, the rest of the world stopped. His life is about more than football. He changed perceptions for the better in Brazil, in South America and across the world.”
Fifa noted that he was the youngest-ever world champion – not to mention the youngest scorer, youngest hat-trick scorer, youngest finalist and youngest player to score in a final in World Cup history.
Here’s a look at the life times of Pele, the legendary footballer and an icon off the pitch.
Text via AFP
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