Football lost an all-time great on Thursday with the death of Brazilian legend Pele at the age of 82.
Pele is widely considered to be the best soccer player of all time, with Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi perhaps right behind. The Brazilian has been to four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970) and scored 12 goals in the process.
The Brazilian soccer star who rivals Muhammad Ali as the most celebrated international athlete of his era has been dealing with cancer, as well as kidney and heart problems over the past few years.
He mainly played for Brazilian club Santos, refusing to take his talents to Europe like many South American stars after him. Eventually, the Brazilian legend played in the United States, though he was bypassed by the Pioneers. At the age of 35, he accepted a $7 million contract to play the final three seasons of his professional career with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League.
When did Pele die?
Pele passed away on Thursday, December 29, 2022. He was the Brazilian soccer star at the age of 82. His death was mourned by the entire football community, who hailed the Goat as a legend of all time.
Pele remains the only player in football history to win three World Cups.
Pele wins the World Cup
Pele retired from playing as the only player to win the World Cup three times, a mark that remains to this day. While the championship featured fewer teams during his era, it is still an incredible feat given the tenacity of the sport of his day. The Brazilian was the originator of the phrase “the beautiful game,” and he played with such grace on the pitch.
How many goals did Pele score?
In 92 matches for the Brazilian national team, he scored 77 goals. He is the all-time top scorer for his country, and holds several World Cup and FIFA records. In terms of his total goals count, some suggest he scored as many as he could 757 times. This figure has been refuted, however, and an official amount has not yet been provided.
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