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Brazilian football legend Pelé dies aged 82
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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.
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But on 29 December, Pelé's agent, Joe Fraga, confirmed Pelé died at Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil saying, “The king has passed.”
Tributes to the Brazilian footballer poured in on social media with many sending condolences to his family and friends.
Football clubs and players shared tributes to Pelé on Twitter and Instagram, many thanking him for being a leader in the game.
In an Instagram post, fellow footballer Cristiano Ronaldo called Pelé "an inspiration to so many millions, a reference yesterday, today and forever."
Pelé, born in São Paulo, was named Edson Arantes do Nascimento but earned his nickname Pelé as a child.
In his autobiography, Pelé said the name was given to him because he could not pronounce the name of the goalkeeper on his local soccer team, Bilé.
Although the name has no meaning in Portuguese, it is forever tied to the Brazilian soccer player who is known for his greatness.
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