Pelé, the world-famous footballer from Brazil died on Thursday at 82 years old.
Hailed as one of the greatest football players of all time, Pelé won three World Cups and holds the Guinness World Record for “most career goals.”
For the last year, the star footballer had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer.
The three-time World Cup champion received a colon cancer diagnosis in September 2021 and was admitted at the Albert Einstein hospital in Morumbi, Sao Paulo, on November 29, this year.
Pele was also being treated in the hospital for a respiratory ailment.
Pele had been in and out of hospital after the diagnosis. He had a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021 and in February of this year for further treatment which was complicated by a urinary tract infection.
However, on 29 December, Pelé’s agent, Joe Fraga, confirmed Pelé died at Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil saying, “The king has passed.”
Pele’s death was attributed to multiple organ failure as a result of his cancer, on Thursday evening, with the hospital confirming he had died at 3.27pm local time.
Tributes to the Brazilian footballer poured in on social media with many sending condolences to his family and friends.
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Pele has died. The most divine of footballers and joyous of men. He played a game only a few chosen ones have come close to. 3 times he lifted the most coveted gold trophy in that beautiful yellow shirt. He may have left us but he’ll always have footballing immortality. RIP Pele
— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) December 29, 2022
Everything you see any player doing, Pelé did it first. RIP ⚽️🤴🏿 pic.twitter.com/SeW0z1hQTm
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland) December 29, 2022
The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten.
RIP KING 💔👑… pic.twitter.com/F55PrcM2Ud— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) December 29, 2022
Tonight, we join fans the world over in mourning Pelé, one of football’s all-time greatest players.
He was the first global superstar of the game and played a pioneering role in football’s rise to become the world’s most popular sport.
Rest in peace, Pelé.
— UEFA (@UEFA) December 29, 2022
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