Presidents and former presidents, personalities and institutions of all persuasions, ordinary citizens, adults and children, as well as of course sportsmen and leaders of all disciplines, let their regrets be heard at the death this Thursday, at the age of 82, of Edson Arantes. do Nascimento ‘Pelé’, for many the king of football of all time and not just of one era or another.
The world was shocked by the news of the death of one of the most iconic representatives of sport, despite the fact that due to his state of health and age, the outcome was predictable not only in the country of the greatest “eternal” idol of Brazilians.
Pelé died this Thursday at the Sao Paulo hospital, where he had been hospitalized for exactly a month, following a multiorgan failure caused by colon cancer diagnosed in 2021.
The news of the passing sparked an avalanche of heartfelt reactions across the planet, all framed by expressions of respect, affection, reverence and admiration.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has had to admit that ‘o Rei’s departure is “the saddest news” reported by the entity since its founding 108 years ago.
Due to Pelé’s passing, CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues declared “an official mourning for seven days”, while the government of Brazil did the same for the remainder of 2022.
Even the American space agency (NASA) sent the football star back and made him “paradise” with the photograph of a constellation in the colors of the Brazilian flag.
NASA mourned in a Twitter post the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, whom it remembered as the “king of ‘jogo bonito'”, a term popularized by Canarinha’s team in the 1970s and who experienced his peak at the World Cup in Mexico, in the final against Italy where he scored with a header.
Pelé 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/lNbOSkFBY2
—MotherSoccer (@MotherSoccerNL) December 29, 2022
NASA accompanied its message with a photograph of “a spiral galaxy in the constellation of the Sculptor” which takes up the colors of the Brazilian flag, known as “auriverde”.
We mark the passing of the legendary Pelé, known to many as the king of the “beautiful game”. This image of a spiral galaxy in the constellation Sculptor shows the colors of Brazil. pic.twitter.com/sOYfKdTeAJ
—NASA (@NASA) December 29, 2022
President of the United States Joe Biden and other American figures have sacked the Brazilian star: “Pelé’s rise from humble beginnings to football legend is a story of what is possible”, said said Biden on his Twitter account, accompanied by a photo where we see him holding the hand of the late footballer.
For a sport that brings the world together like no other, Pelé’s rise from humble beginnings to footballing legend is a story of what is possible.
Today, Jill and I’s thoughts are with her family and all who loved her. pic.twitter.com/EkDDkqQgLo
—President Biden (@POTUS) December 29, 2022
Besides Biden, former President Barack Obama (2009-2017) and Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed their condolences on “O Rei’s” passing on social media.
In a message on his Twitter account, Obama mourned the death of “one of the greatest of ‘jogo bonito'” and “one of the most recognized athletes in the world”, in addition to posting a photo of the two.
Pelé was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game. And as one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sport to bring people together. Our thoughts are with his family and all who loved and admired him. pic.twitter.com/urGRDePaPv
—Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 29, 2022
For his part, Blinken sent his condolences to the footballer’s family and to the Brazilian people through a message on the social network with the message: “Pelé was a true legend, there was no one like him”.
The Brazilian, who had a brief acting career in Hollywood, also remembered Sylvester Stallone, his co-star in the 1981 film ‘Victory’.
The ‘Rocky’ actor shared a photo with the footballer and wrote, “Skinned the big one! Rest in peace. He was a big man.”
Another artist who has mourned Pele’s death is Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, who posted a black and white image of the Brazilian athlete on his Instagram Stories.
As well as starring in films like Deadpool (2016) and The Proposal (2009), Reynolds also owns a Welsh football team called Werxham.
New York club Cosmos, where the legend ended his career in 1977, expressed their condolences and said Pele’s name “will always be synonymous with art and genius”.
“The New York Cosmos family, past and present, mourns the loss of sports icon Pelé,” announced the New York club, for which Pelé played two seasons.
Pelé signed for Cosmos in 1975 and during his two and a half years in New York he scored 37 goals in 64 games and won the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1977.
Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo, who was Pelé’s teammate when they conquered the World Cups in Sweden ’58 and Chile ’62, and his coach in Mexico ’70, said goodbye this Thursday with a public declaration of love to the “greatest player of all”.
“Thank you for everything, Pelé. You are forever. I love you,” said Zagallo, 91.
The ‘old wolf’ said Pelé was ‘the person who stopped the world many times. The person who made the most respected 10 shirt’ and a Brazilian who defended his country ‘all over the world’.
“My greatest partner is gone and with this smile I will keep you with me,” added Zagallo, the only one in the world to have won four world titles, two as a player (1958 and 1962), one as a coach (1970). ) and another as a technical assistant (1994).
Luiz Felipe Scolari, another coach who led Brazil to the conquest of a World Cup in 2002, went to the technical repertoire possessed by his compatriot.
“If we had to highlight just one of Pelé’s qualities, it would be impossible. He had all the qualities a professional athlete needs to be king,” ‘Felipao’ said.
Romário and Bebeto, the famous attacking pair who led Canarinha to the world title in 1994, also praised Pelé.
Romário de Souza Farias, who after hanging up his boots has had an outstanding political career since becoming a senator, said Pelé was one of his country’s “most illustrious sons”.
“He made the world bend before his talent” and “he brought Brazilian football to the altar of the gods”, he added.
José Roberto Gama de Oliveira ‘Bebeto’ said Pele “is part of everyone’s history”.
“I can’t find the right words and I don’t even know if they exist,” said the former Deportivo La Coruña player. “Pelé made our football known to the world and opened borders for us all. Thank you for your love, thank you for so many things, you are eternal!”, he added.
Ronaldo and Rivaldo, two figures from a generation that also won the World Cup in 2002, have also been full of praise in acknowledgment of the path Pele has blazed for the Brazilians.
Ronaldo Luiz Nazário de Lima defined the illustrious son of Tres hearts (Three Hearts) with five words: “Unique. Awesome. Creative. Perfect. Unmatched.”
“The king of football. Only one. The greatest of all time. The world of mourning and the sadness of farewell mixed with the immense pride of written history,” added Ronaldo.
Vito Rivaldo Borba Ferreira said that Brazilian football is known and respected around the world thanks to Pelé.
“I’m proud to have played two World Cups with number 10, which was consecrated by him,” said Rivaldo.
Two representatives of the current generation of Canarinha players, Neymar and Casemiro, thanked ‘o Rei’ for the revolution he introduced in football.
“Rest in peace, King Pelé. Thank you for the glory you gave to Brazil and to football. Your legacy is eternal”, wrote the several times captain of the ‘verdeamarela’ Casemiro on his Twitter account.
Neymar, who like Pelé gave the Santos club global exposure, claimed the three-time world champion “changed everything”.
“He transformed football into art, into entertainment. He gave a voice to the poor and to blacks, and, above all, he gave visibility to Brazil,” added the PSG player.
The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) has generated an avalanche of sincere reactions from the official entities that manage football in the countries of the region.
“The star of O Rei, the first 10, the player with the most World Cups, already lights up the sky”, published the Conmebol on his Twitter account.
In separate messages in Spanish and Portuguese, the entity, which brings together the federations of ten countries, thanked Pelé “for putting South America at the top”.
“We will miss you. You will always shine in our hearts. Eternal glory to the King,” he added.
In the United States, the country where Pelé ended his brilliant football career, the reactions literally went from earth to space.
From Argentina, the Brazilians’ bitterest rivals in football, the captain of the Albiceleste’s last world champion team and the first coach who led them to their first conquest expressed their respect.
Lionel Messi sacked Edson Arantes do Nascimento this Thursday with a brief message on his social networks in which he wrote a “rest in peace” accompanied by two photos with him and another of a young “O Rei” in his time as a player .
“Rest in peace, @pele”, wrote the Albiceleste captain on his official network accounts such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Rest in peace, @pele. pic.twitter.com/qjPNpywADS
— Leo Messi (@Ieomessiok) December 29, 2022
More eloquently, former Argentine footballer and coach César Luis Menotti remembered Pelé as “the greatest” player on the pitch and also as a great teammate.
“Pelé was the greatest of all. For me, he is incomparable. It’s very difficult for another Pelé to come forward,” said the coach who led Argentina to the 1978 World Cup .
“There was no one like Pelé,” said 83-year-old “el Flaco” Menotti, who in his football career spent time in Brazilian football, which began in 1968 at Pelé’s Santos, winner of the Paulista championship. this year.
Former Argentine footballer Osvaldo César Ardiles assured that Pelé was a “unique” player, like a “ballet figure” on the pitch, who made football an “art”.
“Pelé was an absolutely unique figure. He changes football, makes it incredibly international, makes football beautiful, makes it an art,” he said.
The Uruguayan Víctor Espárrago, one of the footballers who faced Pelé at the limit of the regulations, recalled an anecdote that occurred during a match between the two teams played in Argentina.
“Julio Montero Castillo was playing with us and he kicked Pelé from behind. Pelé turned around and said: Don’t hit from behind, always hit from the front,” he said to underline the tough character that the Brazilian had back then to deal with hard marks.
Colombian striker Radamel Falcao García also joined in the expressions of sadness following the departure of the legendary former footballer.
“Your legacy will forever be etched in the hearts of thousands of football fans around the world. My condolences and a prayer for friends and family,” added ‘el Tigre’.
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