Pele, Legendary Brazilian Soccer Player, Dies At 82

Pelé, the Brazilian soccer star and the only man to ever win three World Cups, has died at the age of 82.

His eldest daughter, Kely, confirmed the sad news, sharing a touching post about the impact her dad had on their family.

“Everything we are is because of you We love you infinitely Rest in peace,” she wrote alongside a photo of her family’s hands placed on his.

An official statement was also made on his social media accounts.

Pelé had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized for the last month said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer. He had been struggling for several days according to multiple reports.

Pelé was often known as the “O Rei do Futebol,” the king of his sport, and a fierce competitor on the field for a more than 20-year career, playing predominantly in his home country of Brazil. He was beloved by Brazilians and soccer fans worldwide and on Thursday the soccer community mourned the loss of one of the greats.

Over his illustrious career, various reports record Pelé’s goals at around 650 in league matches, and almost double that number in non-league matches. Born, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, and hailing from São Paulo state, he first hit the world stage during the World Cup in 1958 in Sweden and was just a 17-year-old kid, who turned into a global phenom. As the youngest player ever at the tournament, he scored two goals in Brazil’s 5-2 victory over Sweden in the final and left the field being carried on his teammates’ shoulders.

PHOTOS: Look Back At Pele’s Life

He went on to participate and win two additional World Cups.

“Pelé changed everything. He transformed football into art, entertainment,” Neymar, a fellow Brazilian soccer player, said on Instagram. “Football and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure. Pelé is eternal!”

Other soccer stars also reacted to the news of his death with Cristiano Ronaldo, writing, “My deep condolences to all of Brazil, and in particular to the family of Edson Arantes do Nascimento. A mere “goodbye” to the eternal King Pelé will never be enough to express the pain that the entire football world is currently embracing.”

Lionel Messi, who just won the World Cup with his country Argentina, kept his message simple.