Lionel Messi, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vinicius Jr., and Kylian Mbappé are just a few of the world-renowned soccer stars that paid their respects to the late great Pelé, who passed away on Thursday, aged 80. The Brazilian legend, whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, helped his country win the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and he remains the national team’s co-scoring leader, with 77 goals in 92 matches.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama said Pelé was “one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game,” while Gary Lineker called him “the most divine of footballers and joyous of men.” Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo said a “mere ‘goodbye’ … will never be enough to express the pain that the entire football world is currently embracing.”
Pelé was born into poverty in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state on Oct. 23, 1940, and honed his skills playing with a grapefruit before he signed with the Brazilian team Santos at age 15. He was recognized as one of Time magazine’s “100 Persons of the Century” in 1999, and set up the Pelé Foundation in 2018 to help impoverished children.
The Brazilian legend was a regular White House visitor, gaining invitations from Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. His message today becomes a legacy for future generations, and his death is mourned by soccer fans all over the world. As former England star Geoff Hurst said on Twitter, Pelé was “without doubt the best footballer of all time. RIP KING.”
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