Pele, the Brazilian who has long been considered the greatest footballer of all time, has died at the age of 82. The legendary figure, a man who transcended his sport and was a global icon, learned that his colon cancer had advanced on December 21 and was told he would be kept in hospital over Christmas – with the iconic forward needing treatment for cardiac and renal dysfunction. Previously he had been admitted to the hospital on November 30 with swelling all over his body and ‘decompensated heart failure’ before passing away a month on after receiving palliative care.
Below are 15 amazing facts about Pele
- Pelé is a retired Brazilian professional footballer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
- He was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento on October 23, 1940, in Três Corações, Brazil.
- Pelé began his professional career with Santos FC in 1956, at the age of 15.
- He helped lead Brazil to three World Cup victories, in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
- Pelé is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil, with 77 goals in 92 appearances.
- He scored a total of 1,281 goals in 1,363 games throughout his professional career.
- Pelé was named FIFA World Cup Best Young Player in 1958 and FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner in 1970.
- He was also named South American Footballer of the Year in 1957, 1958, and 1970.
- In 1999, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
- He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame in 1999.
- Pelé was appointed a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 1994 and a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in 2002.
- He has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Brazilian Order of Merit and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- In addition to his successful career on the pitch, Pelé has also had a successful career as a businessman and entrepreneur.
- He has endorsed numerous products and brands over the years, including Coca-Cola, Puma, and Emirates Airline.
- Pelé has also written several books about his life and career, including his autobiography, “Pelé: The Autobiography.”
He’s cause of death was from Colon Cancer. RIP pele
