Pelé, football icon and three-time World Cup Champion, dead aged 82

Brazilian footballer and international legend of the game, Pelé, has passed away aged 82 after an extended bout with cancer.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or Pelé to most, was an icon of the game of football. A three-time World Cup champion, he led Brazil to heights that the country has yet again to match on the global stage.

While he’s most famous in the United States for those three championship runs, he was also a dominant player at the club level as well as a figurehead for the entire sport in his retirement.

From his iconic fist-pumping celebration that players across the world still imitate to this day, to making #10 a hallowed figure all across the world, very few stars have ever reached the level of success and notoriety that Nascimento achieved in his life.

Even after his retirement from football he never quite stepped away from the sport entirely. He lived as a businessman and politician, particularly serving as Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport, as well as working as an ambassador for the United Nations. He saw success in these roles, but they never quite overshadowed his legacy as an athlete and as the face of Brazil on the global stage.

Pele’s Twitter account has made the announcement official, with a short message for those who were inspired by this footballer’s historic career.

“Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pelé, who peacefully passed away today.

Love, love and love, forever.”

His legacy will live on in the hearts of millions of adoring fans who will never forget his impact on the sport that he dubbed “the beautiful game.”