The football world mourns “King” Pelé: The three-time world champion died on Thursday at the age of 82, as his daughter Kely Nascimento announced on Instagram.
The clinic treating him said Pele died of “multiple organ failure” after a long battle with cancer. The legendary athlete, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. In football-mad Brazil, he was revered as “O Rei,” the king.
Pelé is the only soccer player to win the world title three times – in 1958, 1962 and 1970. The Brazilian government declared a three-day national mourning after Pelé’s death. The coffin of the deceased exceptional footballer is to be laid out on Monday in the stadium of his long-standing club FC Santos. Pele’s funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.
The death of the Brazilian national hero triggered great sympathy worldwide. Brazil’s star striker Neymar said Pele “made football an art”. Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo called him an “inspiration to many millions” of people.
This is how the press around the world reacted to the death of the footballer of the century.
“New York Times”, USA: “Pelé was a national hero in his native Brazil and loved all over the world – by the poorest among whom he grew up, by the richest among whom he was associated and by just about everyone who ever saw him play.”
“Washington Post”, USA: “There was only one Pelé. Aside from his unequaled three world championship titles, his creative, acrobatic play, his love of football and his contagious joy made him a global icon.”
‘Daily Mirror’, United Kingdom: “Seeing Pelé in full swing was the most beautiful sight in football long before that adjective defined the game. Even today his name is synonymous not only with beauty but also with excellence, breathtaking skill and highest sporting spirit. Long before Maradona, Ronaldo and Messi, there wasn’t even a debate about the greatest footballer of all time. Every fan knew it was Pele and they adored him.”
“The Sun”, UK: “Bright Brazilian yellow on the then-newfangled color television sets, Pele seemed to have descended from football heaven. It was the 1970 World Cup and he defined what the beautiful game was with ballet-like balance, dazzling pace and clinical prowess could.”
“Marca”, Spain: “A football myth is gone. Pelé was one of the best players in history, undoubtedly the best of his time. Today is a day of mourning for football. Rest in peace, ‘O Rei’.”
“El País”, Spain: “The death of Pelé, ‘O Rei’, Brazil’s eternal and international idol, has left his compatriots dejected and nostalgic for the days when Brazil was synonymous with triumph.”
“La Repubblica”, Italy: “Farewell to Pelé, the master who invented the future. ‘O Rei’ was born in Três Corações, in the southeast of Brazil – Three hearts, that says it all.”
“Corriere dello Sport”, Italy: “The football world is mourning. At the age of 82, the incomparable icon of Brazilian and world football has died.”
“Le Figaro”, France: “Football has lost its king. Pelé was the sun of Brazil. Its warmth, its light, its strength, its joy, its creativity. Its legend spans epochs. The essence of an artist.”
“L’Equipe”, France: “Brazil, a country in shock. The death of Pelé has shaken the country.”
“Kronen-Zeitung”, Austria: “The striker delighted the masses with his technical skills and goal-getting qualities, even before football became a live TV mass event and billion-dollar business.”
“Blick”, Switzerland: “Pele is the greatest in history, the first global superstar that football has seen. The quote from Ronald Reagan has been handed down: ‘My name is Ronald Reagan, I am the President of the United States of America .But you don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pelé is.’ Whether Reagan, Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy, Pope John Paul II or Nelson Mandela, Pelé captivated everyone with his radiant smile.”
