Brazil legend Pele has died at the age of 82. “We love you forever,” wrote his daughter.
On Thursday, Édson Arantes do Nascimento’s heart stood still forever, but Pelé “eterno” lives on forever as a myth from a nostalgic football era. The Brazilian died at the age of 82, his family said. “Everything we are, we are thanks to you. We love you forever. Rest in peace,” his daughter Kely Nascimento wrote on Instagram.
Pele was hospitalized before Christmas to what his doctors said was a “re-evaluation” of the chemotherapy he’s been undergoing since the removal of a colon tumor in September last year. Most recently, he is said to have received palliative care.
“I want people to remember me, not forget me. Just that!” The three-time world champion (1958, 1962 and 1970), who was born in a small village called Tres Coracoes (Three Hearts), has always wished. And contributed a lot to it under his stage name. Youngest goalscorer in a World Cup final when he scored twice against the hosts in Sweden in 1958 aged 17 years and 249 days. Recorded 1281 goals in 1363 games. Countless titles all over the world with FC Santos, the US championship in 1977 with Cosmos New York – and above all the three World Cup triumphs with the Selecao.
For more than 21 years he laced his football boots until he left on October 1, 1977, making the number 10 shirt world famous – not as a classic playmaker, but rather as a hanging tip according to today’s understanding of the game.
In love with dribbling, aiming for goals, shooting with the right or left, with violence or finesse, also floating in the air with a head or an overhead kick.
Pelé stays in touch with fans until the very end
“The difficult thing is not to score a thousand goals like Pele, but just one like Pele,” wrote Brazil’s poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade in an ode to the model athlete – as a singer, actor, sports minister or entrepreneur, used the fame as a football ambassador and silvered his reputation in advertising campaigns.
“Comfortable, I’m Ronald Reagan, but you don’t need to introduce yourself. Every child knows who you are,” he was welcomed by the then US President in the White House. One of many anecdotes surrounding the myth.
In early 1969 he is said to have stopped a war somewhere in Africa – some speak of Congo, others of Nigeria – because the hostile camps wanted to see the “Rei” (king) and his Santos followers play. True legends, legendary truths.
Like being sent off with an incredible twist in a July 1968 friendly in Colombia. The 60,000 or so in the stadium in Bogota chanted after their idol and raged wildly. The referee had to sneak away, Pelé triumphantly returned to the pitch. He inherited his talent from his father, Dondinho, and passed it on only tolerably.
Of his seven children, two sons, Edinho (professional goalkeeping and coaching) and Joshua (college soccer in the US) tried their hand at ball, with little success. It was always difficult for Pelé to stay at home for a long time. In recent years, however, the aching body has kept him captive at his beachfront villa in Guaruja, a few minutes’ drive from Santos. From there, the FIFA footballer of the century communicated virtually with his loyal fan base via social networks until the end.
When rumors of depression surfaced in early 2020, Pele responded, “I have my good days and I have my bad days. It’s normal for people my age.” But the operations on the kidney (November 2014), prostate (May 2015), spine (July 2015) and hip (December 2015) and the tumor removed from the intestine in September 2021 left their mark. In the last few days, “O Rei’s” condition has been deteriorating.
In just a quarter of his life, Pelé created fame for eternity.
The career of the great Brazilian in fast motion.
September 7, 1956: Èdson Arantes do Nascimento made his professional debut at FC Santos at the age of 15 and scored his first goal in a 7-1 win over Corinthians Santo Andre.
July 7, 1957: At the age of 16 he wore the Selecao jersey for the first time and scored in the 2-1 draw against arch-rival Argentina to equalize.
June 29, 1958: At just 17 years and 249 days, Pelé became world champion for the first time. With two goals in the 5-2 win against hosts Sweden, he entered the history books as the youngest World Cup final goalscorer.
June 2, 1962: His second World Cup ended after the second game when he suffered a muscle injury in the 0-0 draw against Czechoslovakia. Led by the dribble king Garrincha, the Selecao successfully defended the title in the final against the same opponent (3:1).
Aug 30, 1962: Pelé was instrumental in a Brazilian club’s first Libertadores Cup title, scoring twice for Santos against Uruguay’s Penarol. A year later, the second triumph at continental level followed, as well as two victories in the World Cup against European greats Benfica Lisbon (1962) and AC Milan (1963).
November 21, 1964: Pelé scored eight (!) goals in the 11-0 win against Botafogo Ribeirao Preto in the Campeonato Paulista, the championship of the state of Sao Paulo.
July 12, 1966: In the World Cup preliminary round duel against Bulgaria (2-0), Garrincha and Pelé played side by side for the last time and scored a goal each. The dream duo did not lose any of their 40 international matches together, but were unable to prevent their early exit in England in the subsequent 3-1 defeats against Hungary (only Garrincha) and Portugal (only Pelé).
November 19, 1969: He scored his 1000th goal in style with the 2-1 winner against Vasco da Gama, highlighted at the penalty spot, illuminated by the iconic Maracana’s vanguard. Surrounded by photographers and journalists, he allows fans and players to carry him on a lap of honor with the ball in his hands before the game continues.
June 21, 1970: Pelé is the first and so far the only player to win the world championship for the third time and initiates the 4-1 final victory over Italy with his twelfth World Cup goal.
July 18, 1971: In the 2-2 draw against Yugoslavia, Pelé said goodbye to around 140,000 fans in the Maracana from the Selecao. Seven days earlier he scored his last goal for the “Canarinhos” against Austria (1-1). In total there are 77 goals in 92 official international matches.
October 2, 1974: At 9:19 p.m., “o Rei” (the king) kneels in the center circle of Vila Belmiro, signaling the final act for FC Santos. After 1091 goals in 1116 games and more than 40 titles with the port city club, he ended his professional career – for the time being.
June 15, 1975: Comeback at Cosmos New York continued, Pelé befitting his debut in the 2-2 against Dallas Tornado. He helps the North American Soccer League get media attention and also acts as a magnet for German veterans like Franz Beckenbauer, with whom he won the US Operetta League in 1977.
October 1, 1977: In the official farewell game, he played one half each for Cosmos and Santos, scored one last goal and called out his legacy into the New York night: “Love, love, love!”