Blog - news, sports

Pele Dies, 82; Footballers Celebrate His Legacy

January 2, 2023
byTJ443 views

It seems like Pele only waited for the first Winter FIFA World Cup hosted by an Arab country to finish before passing on.

The Brazilian footballing legend—the first and only player to win three World Cups for the Canarinho—passed away at 82

Albert Einstein Hospital took in the footballing icon in late November for respiratory infection and other complications caused by his colon cancer. The Sao Paulo hospital later revealed that his long battle with cancer caused multiple organ failures that led to his death.

OKBET Pele

Kely Nascimento, his daughter, was sincere in her father’s tribute: “Everything that we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in Peace.”

F.C. Santos, the Brazilian club that Pele played for most of his career, sent a touching tribute on their Twitter page. They tweeted an image of a crown and captioned it with, “Eternal.”

Footballers from all over the globe also joined the world in Pele’s passing. Players took to social media, from Lionel Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo, and offered their condolences to a family and country that just lost a guiding light.

Brazilians honored Pele for representing the country in the best light. While Brazil is a country rife with problems, the footballing superstar who brought the beautiful game to the world was the epitome of everything good with the South American nation.

Neymar’s Touching Tribute

Neymar, who Pele consoled after the Canarinho’s shocking World Cup exit, gave one of the most heartfelt tributes on social media.

“I would say that before Pelé, football was just a sport,” the PSG star wrote on his Instagram post. “Pele changed everything. He turned football into art, into entertainment. He gave a voice to the poor, to Black people and especially: Gave visibility to Brazil. Football and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will remain. Pele is ETERNAL!!”

Pele, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was beloved for his flair on the football pitch and his gentle personality outside of it. Together with Diego Maradona, they shaped how South American footballers played and impacted the game. 

OKBET extends its most sincere condolences to the Nascimento family and Brazil for their loss.

Read more: Chicago Bulls Struggle with LaVine-DeRozan Discord



OKBET Newsletter Subscribe to Our Newsletter


Loader Submitting...