"Pele is Magic" Remains an Eternal Soccer Legend

Soccer Emperor Pele Passes Away... Battled Illness Since September Last Year
Only Player to Win World Cup 3 Times... Waves of Mourning Worldwide

[Asia Economy Reporters Byunghee Park, Mideum Seo] "Love and love forever."

The 'Football Emperor' Pel? (Brazil, photo), revered as the greatest player in football history, emphasized love in his final message.

Major foreign media outlets reported on the 29th (local time) that Pel?, who won the World Cup three times and was known as the world's greatest football player, had passed away. The New York Times paid tribute to Pel? as "the Global Face of Soccer" in announcing his death.

Pel?'s daughter, Kelly Nascimento, shared the obituary on social media, saying, "Thank you. I love you forever. Rest in peace."

Pel?'s social media also posted his final message. Next to a photo of him smiling brightly, it read, "Edson (Pel?'s real name, Edson Arantes do Nascimento) captivated the world with his genius in football, stopped wars, carried out social welfare worldwide, and spread love, which was believed to be the cure for all our problems." At the end of the message was Pel?'s last will: "Love, love, love. Forever."

The Albert Einstein Hospital in S?o Paulo, Brazil, where Pel? was receiving treatment, announced, "Pel? passed away at 3:27 PM local time on the 29th," adding, "The cause of death was multiple organ failure due to the progression of colon cancer and other illnesses he was suffering from."

Pel?'s battle with illness began in September last year when a cancerous tumor was found in his right colon, leading to surgery. He underwent chemotherapy while moving between hospitals but was readmitted last month due to heart failure, generalized edema, and delirium. Recently, he also received treatment for respiratory symptoms caused by COVID-19, enduring a difficult fight.

The world mourned the death of the Football Emperor. Luiz In?cio Lula da Silva, the president-elect of Brazil set to take office on January 1 next year, paid tribute on Twitter by mentioning Pel?'s iconic number 10 jersey, saying, "There was no number 10 player comparable to Pel?." He praised, "Few Brazilians are better known worldwide than Pel?," and added, "Pel? gave everything he had." He concluded with, "Thank you, Pel?." The Brazilian government declared a three-day national mourning period.

Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain), the current ace of the Brazilian national team who wore number 10 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, emphasized on his Instagram, "Before Pel?, 10 was just a number. He is gone, but his magic remains. Pel? is eternal."

Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain), who led Argentina to victory at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, posted a photo with Pel? on Instagram and wrote, "Rest in peace." Kylian Mbapp? (Paris Saint-Germain), the top scorer of the Qatar World Cup with 8 goals, also expressed condolences, saying, "The king of football has left us, but his legacy will never be forgotten."

Gianni Infantino, president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), paid tribute, saying, "Pel? was the only player to win the World Cup three times, and his skills and imagination were unmatched. He achieved things no other player could dream of."

As his nickname 'Football Emperor' suggests, Pel? left countless records that will be forever recorded in history. According to FIFA, Pel? scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches over 21 years as a professional football club player. He played continuously for the prestigious Brazilian club Santos from 1956 to 1974, then joined the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1975, playing three seasons before retiring. Pel? won the Brazilian first division six times and was top scorer three times, and in the S?o Paulo state league, he won ten championships and was top scorer eleven times. He never played in European leagues.

Pel? participated in four World Cups, playing 14 matches with 12 goals and 8 assists. When he won his first World Cup in Sweden in 1958, Pel? was 17 years and 249 days old, which remains the youngest record in history.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.