Pele, the only player in history to win three World Cups, died of cancer at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo. He became an icon of the game after winning the World Cup as a 17-year-old in 1958, netting twice in the final to overcome hosts Sweden.
Pele died as a result of colon cancer, for which he was undergoing chemotherapy. He did not respond to treatment, however, and was transferred to palliative care. Pele underwent colon cancer surgery in 2021 and has been undergoing chemotherapy ever since.
The Brazilian footballer, dubbed “The Greatest” by FIFA, had been married three times. He has seven children in total.
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Pele, Brazil’s equal all-time leading scorer with 77 goals in 92 matches, became a sporting icon after winning the World Cup as a 17-year-old in 1958, scoring twice in the final to defeat hosts Sweden.
Pele, born Edson Arantes do Nascimento to a humble family in Sao Paulo, led Brazil to World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
Also read: Pele: Interesting facts you need to know about the greatest football player!
Injury limited his role to Brazil’s triumph in Chile in 1962, but he was the tournament’s player eight years later, when Brazil assembled one of the best teams of all time and took the Jules Rimet trophy in Mexico, due to a 4-1 win over Italy in which Pele scored the opening goal.
That goal makes him one of just five players to have scored in two World Cup finals, while his heroics in 1958 keep him as the tournament’s youngest goal scorer.
Pele, who scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 games for club and country, finished his career with the New York Cosmos and retired in 1977.
Pele became an ambassador for football after retirement. In 2013, he received the FIFA Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur for his career and achievements. In 2020, he was named to the Ballon d’Or Dream Team, an all-time best XI.
