The entertainment world has honored the memory of Brazilian footballer Pele after the news of his death today (December 29) at the age of 82.
The death of the football star, who is often called the greatest player who ever lived, was confirmed in a statement by the Albert Einstein Israeli Hospital in Sao Paulo. It says that the athlete died “due to the failure of several organs as a result of the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous clinical condition,” Sky News reports.
Pele’s daughter Keli Nascimento also posted a photo on Instagram of what looked like Pele’s family’s hands on his body. “Everything we are is thanks to you,” Nascimento wrote in the caption. “We love you endlessly. Rest in peace.”
A message posted on the star’s official social media accounts read: “Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who passed away peacefully today. In his journey, Edson charmed the world with his sporting genius, stopped the war, carried out social work around the world and spread what he most considered to be the cure for all our problems: love.
Bu gönderiyi Instagram’da gör
“His message today becomes a legacy for future generations. Love, love and love forever.”
During his career, Pele scored a world record, scoring 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches, including 77 goals in 92 matches in which he represented Brazil. He is the only player to have won the World Cup three times – in 1958 at the age of 17, and then again in 1962 and 1970 – and was named FIFA Player of the Century in 2000.
Entertainment stars began paying tribute to Pele, and Burna Boy tweeted: “Rest in peace, Pele. A man with a strong legacy who will be remembered FOREVER. Legends never die, they are always remembered in the hearts of people.”
RIP Pele.
A man with a strong legacy that will be remembered FOREVER. 🕊️❤️
Legends Never Die they are always Remembered in the hearts of the People. pic.twitter.com/TDb5tVKVhG
— Burna Boy (@burnaboy) December 29, 2022
See more tributes below.
You know you’ve transcended your sport when you’re a hero to a kid from South Jamaica Queens who grew up on Basketball and Baseball. ☹️ 🙏🏾 ⚽️ Pelé. pic.twitter.com/ihoHZ6Kzy2
— PHAROAHE MONCH (@pharoahemonch) December 29, 2022
Rest In Peace to legendary soccer player, Pele. pic.twitter.com/lAecjsd9Jw
— AFROPUNK (@afropunk) December 29, 2022
RIP PELE LG x
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) December 29, 2022
In 2020, Pele teamed up with Rodrigo y Gabriela to release a collaborative track called “Acredita No Véio (Listen To The Old Man)”. The unlikely team led to the Brazilian legend taking on vocal duties rather than the Mexican duo’s masterful guitar playing.
Pele originally wrote the song together with Brazilian musician Ruria Dupra in 2005, but it got a new musical touch after Rodrigo y Gabriela joined us. In a statement made during the release of the new version, the football icon said that he “does not want the public to compare Pele the composer and Pele the footballer.”
“It would be a huge injustice — in football my talent was a gift from God; music was just for fun,” he explained. “I wrote this because when I played with Santos, the coach said that when we lost, it was the players’ fault, but when we won, makumba (black magic) helped. The song is joking about this — of course, makumba doesn’t win games at all.”
