Pelé, Brazilian Soccer Legend, Dies at 82

Tributes poured in from around the world for the beloved sports star

Soccer Legend Pele
Soccer Legend Pele in 2017 (Xavi Torrent/Getty Images for Pele)

Soccer great Pelé died in São Paulo on Thursday at age 82, according to the Associated Press.

The celebrated Brazilian athlete, whose birth name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, died of complications from cancer. Pelé had a tumor removed from his colon in 2021 and had been hospitalized at the Albert Einstein Hospital since the end of November, the L.A. Times reports.

A tribute posted on his official Twitter page read, “Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love and love, forever.”

Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano wrote, “Brazilian legend Pelé has passed away at 82, one of the greatest of all time who changed the game.

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