Pele, the pioneer of Basilian ‘Ginga’ or ‘Samba’ style football took his last breath in Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein hospital. Following the hospital authority, the virtuoso expired at 3.27 p.m. on 29th December, 2022. He was suffering from colon cancer before and had one tumour removed in 2021. The death of the reason is multiple organ failure. The entire county is in profound grief now. Subsequently, the Brazilian government has declared a mourning period of three days to show condolences as opined by the government’s official journal Diario Oficial da Uniao.
“Due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition.”
Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paolo said in its official bulletin
Quick facts about Pele
| Name | Edson Arantes do Nascimento |
| Date of Birth | 23rd October, 1940, Três Corações, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| Died on | 29th December, 2022 (multiple organ failure due to progressive colon cancer) Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, São Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil |
| Occupation | Footballer (Former Brazilian Captain), Politian |
| Football Career | |||
| Position | Forward, Striker, Attacking Mid-fielder | ||
| Youth Career | |||
| Club: Bauru | Years active: 1953–1956 | ||
| Senior Career | |||
| Santos | 1956–1974 | Appearance: 636 | Goals: 618 |
| New York Cosmos | 1975-1977 | Appearance: 64 | Goals: 37 |
| International Career | |||
| Brazil | 1957-1971 | Appearance: 92 | Goals: 77 |
| Career Highlights | |||
| FIFA World CUP wins | Sweden (1958) | Chile (1962) | Mexico (1970) |
| Copa América or CONMEBOL Copa América or South American Football Championship | Runner-up (Argentina, 1959) |
| FIFA World CUP wins | Sweden (1958) | Chile (1962) | Mexico (1970) |
Pele started playing football bare footed in a slum area of in Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. However, in those days the legend used to hate the Pele name. The boys from rich neighborhood use to taunt him as Pele. At early childhood Pele enrolled in a local soccer tournament where his team was named as “the shoeless ones.” Pele along with his frontiers won that title. Starting from this rough early hood to emerge as the two times world cup winning captain, the man changed the direction of the game. In addition, He is the only man with two world cup winning titles as a captain.
According to FIFA official statistics, Pele has scored 77 international goals for Brasil. Following FIFA stats, Pele scored a total of 767 goals in 831 games with a impressive average of 0.92 goals/match. However, Pele himself as well as Brazilian Football Association claimed that, the man has scored 1283 goals in 1,366 matches. Till these days, Players use the famous Pele Runaround to trick opponents. In 1965, Pele scored goal by bicycle kick levitating legs up head down, in a prefect right angle shape, against Belgium.
When he signed with the New York Cosmos in June 1975, the New York Times made an effort to analyse what made the 5-foot-8 athlete, who weighed around 70 kg, so skilled. A usual athlete’s heart, beats 90 to 95 times per minute, according to medical tests analysed. During exercise, his heart used to beat 56 to 58 times per minute. According to the doctors, Pele’s aerobic capacity allowed him to repeat a “big effort” in 45 to 60 seconds. Pele had peripheral vision that was 30% better than the normal athlete’s.
In 1970 a team of medical examiners studied Pele’s physical structures. The strong bones in the hill and the parallel feet allowed him to absorb shocks after jump. His passion towards the game has motivated him to work hard and perform harder. He was a living machine running on the 105 meter long and 68 meter wide football fields. God gifted attribute and the dedication to keep the abundance is what making the player special.
Fan favorite goals, arguably the best of Pele
Pele was a fearless, free minded and exceptionally skilled footballer. Thorough out his career Pele had delivered many miracles. His puma like instinct has decorated the game. Pele used to get on the field with a spark in his eyes, a thirst for triumph. The pioneer used to play in the forward position, however, he has contributed enough with marvelous assists.
FIFA World Cup Mexico, 1970, Brazil Vs. Italy: Pele leapt on to a teammate’s pass and dribbled the ball with such an ease like no defender was present. The Italian defenders were best in class, but Pele show no hesitation to cross them one-by-one and aimed for the goal. The goalkeeper witnessed the ball to enter the post and touching net.
FIFA World Cup Mexico, 1970, Brazil Vs. Romania: It is not unknown that, Pele outdid himself in the 1970 world cup. The match against Romania is still reconciled by the fans on YouTube or other media platforms. Pele prepared himself for teh free kick, position the ball on the edge of penalty area. Following this, Pele took a power pact shot with his mighty right foot and goalkeeper stayed spell bounded.
Santos Vs. Benfica, 1962: This goals of Pele was no less than a gift to the Santos fans. He fooled one defender with his samba footballing skills and headed into the kick taking position. He aimed for the goal and executed with excellent finesse.
FIFA World Cup Sweden, 1958, Brasil Vs. Sweden: Pele’s goal against Sweden made the audiences stunned. The 17-year old Brazilian puma entered the penalty box by outjumping one defender. Meanwhile, he chipped it over another defender and placed the ball into the net.
Interesting facts about Pele
Pele was barely 15 years old when he penned his first professional contract with the Brazilian club Santos in 1956. His monthly salary was under US$10. Besides that, He bought his family a gas stove with his wages. He became the highest-paid team sportsman across the globe at the time when he signed a career-high three-year with New York Cosmos. The deal was a US$7 million contract. Pele had to pay the United States around $2 million dollars in taxes from the deal, which he gladly did.
He was so well-known worldwide that in 1967 Pele briefly put an end to a civil conflict in Nigeria. To allow Federal and Rebel forces to watch him play when he visited, a 48-hour ceasefire was proclaimed. Due to high demand, the New York Cosmos had to make shirts for every member of the opposition squad before every game when Pele played for them.
“Pele was the main attraction. Sometimes we had to take 25 or 30 shirts with us to a match – otherwise, we’d never have got out of the stadium alive.”
Gordon Bradley, one of the Cosmos’ coaches of New York Cosmos
Pele was Sports minister of Brazil from 1 January 1995 – 30 April 1998. Fernando Henrique Cardoso, the president of Brazil, nominated Pele as the country’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport. Pele established the “Pele Law” during his three-year tenure, modernizing the nation’s sports business. The law released juvenile athletes from agreements they had signed with their teams at a young age. The law directs all professional regional sports clubs of Brasil to pay taxes within two years.
Pele played active role in the preservation of the environment after being named the UN’s goodwill ambassador in 1994. Subsequently, Pele assisted in the battle against corruption in Brazil. In 2018, Pele established his charitable organization, Roots of Fight. The goal is to empower children across the world, particularly in the areas of eradicating poverty and gaining access to education.
Brazilians celebrate 19th November as Pele day. In 19th November, 1969 Pele scored his 1000th international goal. The match took place in the Maracana stadium between Santos and Vasco Da Gama.