Pelé Dies

"Pelé" Edson Arantes do Nascimento Dies At 82

Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, perhaps the best soccer player ever, died Thursday, December 29, 2022 at age 82 as a result of colon cancer in São Paulo, Brazil.  Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo said he died from multiple organ failure as a result of colon cancer.  Pelé's daughter, Kely Nascimento wrote on Instagram "Everything we are is thanks to you,” and  “We love you infinitely.  Rest in peace.”

On October 23, 1940, Pelé whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento was born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil.  Pelé was considered by many to be the greatest soccer player or footballer ever to play the game.  Pelé was a retired Brazilian professional footballer who was the most successful league scorer in the world with 541 league goals.  He had a total of 1281 goals in 1363 games.  He was a part of three Brazilian World Cup-Champion teams.  The greatest soccer player in the world grew up in poverty and learned the game from his father playing with a sock stuffed with newspaper.  The child who could not afford a football, would eventually become the highest paid athlete in the world.  Pelé played professionally for Santos in Brazil from 1956 -1974 and the New York Cosmos from 1975 - 1977.