The football world has been rocked by the news of the passing of one of the world’s greatest-ever players late on Thursday night.
This comes after confirmation was forthcoming online that Pele has lost his long-standing battle with illness.
Recent weeks, of course, had seen reports rampant in the media that the one-time striker’s health had taken a turn for the worse.
And tonight, his family have made official the news which fans the world over had long been dreading:
Pelé family statement.
“Inspiration, love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love and love, forever”. pic.twitter.com/NR3osdkbch
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 29, 2022
Pele, 82, leaves behind a remarkable legacy, having, most notably, racked up a trio of World Cup titles with Brazil.
On the individual front, he is also said to have notched over a thousand goals across his iconic career, remains Brazil’s all-time top goalscorer, and was voted, alongside Diego Maradona, as the Footballer of the Century by FIFA in December of 2000.
