Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Dec 30: Three-time World Cup champion and Brazilian football star Pele passed away at the age of 82. He was largely regarded as the first international football superstar.
Pele underwent treatment for colon cancer after having a tumour surgically removed in September 2021. He had been ill since November and was being treated in the hospital.
Pele congratulated team captain Lionel Messi, emerging French star Kylian Mbappe, and unexpected semifinalist Morocco in a post on social media after Argentina’s World Cup victory.
At age 17, Pele made his debut for Brazil when he scored three goals in the 1958 World Cup final. Later, he served as the captain of Brazil’s 1970 world-beating team, which is widely regarded as the greatest team the world has ever seen. The ‘golden generation’ of Brazil included Pele. He played with players like Nilton Santos, Didi, Garrincha, and Jairzinho, who were all among the top athletes at the time.
Instead of playing in a national league, Pele played the most of his career in a state tournament. He has scored in a variety of competitions, including the Rio-Sao Paulo tournament, the Copa Libertadores, and international games. He has played a significant part in two World Cup victories that no other player can boast.
Pele won three World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970, though he was only able to play a limited amount of games in 1962 owing to an injury he sustained in the opening match that prevented him from playing the rest of the tournament. With 77 goals, the Brazilian legend is still one of the group’s top scorers all-time. During the most recent World Cup, Neymar tied Pele’s record.
