THEY called him ‘The King’, and his face is one of the most recognisable in world football. The man in question is, of course, Pele, who was once named by FIFA as the greatest player of the 20th century. The legendary Brazilian passed away on 29 December 2022.
Pele’s star was already in the ascendancy at the age of just 17, when he celebrated his first FIFA World Cup™ title with Brazil in Sweden on 29 June 1958. He still holds the record as the youngest world champion of all time.
Although the striker featured in the South American team’s squad as they defended their title in 1962, he missed most of the tournament due to injury. Pele’s immense talent was on full display once again in 1970 as he led his team to their next triumph, making him the only player ever to have won three World Cups.
What they said about Pele:
“To watch him play was to watch the delight of a child combined with the extraordinary grace of a man in full.” Nelson Mandela
“Pele was one of the few who contradicted my theory: instead of 15 minutes of fame, he will have 15 centuries.” Andy Warhol
“An artist, in my eyes, is someone who can lighten up a dark room. I have never and will never find the difference between the pass from Pele to Carlos Alberto in the final of the World Cup in 1970 and the poetry of the young Rimbaud. There is in each of these human manifestations an expression of beauty which touches us and gives us a feeling of eternity.” Eric Cantona
“My name is Ronald Reagan, I’m the President of the United States of America. But you don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pele is.” Ronald Reagan
“Pele took football to another level. Not only did he epitomise ‘The Beautiful Game’, but he also played with an effortless flair, the like of which had never been seen.” Gianni Infantino, FIFA President
“The greatest player in history was Di Stefano. I refuse to classify Pele as a player. He was above that.” Ferenc Puskas “
His Majesty, His Highness, ‘Le Roi’, ‘The King’. My first video, VHS that I watched was of you playing during all these World Cups, sending positive messages. Thank you for sharing the passion.” Didier Drogba to FIFA
“Absolutely everybody wanted to shake his hand, to get a photo with him. Saying you had partied with Pele was the biggest badge of honour going.” Mick Jagger
“This debate about the player of the century is absurd. There’s only one possible answer: Pele. He’s the greatest player of all time, and by some distance I might add.” Zico
“Even the sky was crying.” A Brazilian newspaper the day after Pele made his final career appearance in a friendly between New York Cosmos and Santos – www-fifa.com
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his sadness at the passing of global football icon and social activist, Pelé.Edson Arantes do Nascimento has passed away at the age of 82 after an extended illness.
Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences in letters to president Jair Bolsonaro as well as incoming president Luis Inácio Lula da Silva.
He described Pele who served as Minister of Sport in Brazil from January 1995 to April 1998 as “a campaigner for improved social conditions in his home country and internationally.”
Pelé visited South Africa in 1995 and met President Nelson Mandela. The two global figures expressed profound admiration for one another based on their common social and political causes.
“During the eight decades of his life, Pelé not only filled football stadiums with exhilaration but he filled hearts and homes with hope and the knowledge that adversity was surmountable. He was a global inspiration who embodied the best that sport has to offer as an exhibition of physical endeavour and as a means to transform individuals and entire societies from within. His endurance and impact on the field of play inspired the resilience with which Pelé worked for peace and justice globally. Pelé will be missed by multiple generations of people worldwide who were touched by his life even if they never set foot in a stadium,” Ramaphosa said.
Pele’s record book:
- Pele is the youngest scorer, youngest hat-trick scorer, youngest finalist and youngest player to score in a Final in World Cup history.
- Gunnar Gren, who competed against Brazil in the 1958 decider, made his Sweden debut before Pele was born. Never has such an age gap – 20 years – existed between opponents in a World Cup Final.
- Uwe Seeler, Pele, Miroslav Klose, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the only men to score at four or more World Cups. The West German pipped the Brazilian to become the first to do so by less than three minutes in 1970.
- Vava, Pele, Paul Breitner, Zinedine Zidane and Kylian Mbappé are the only players to have scored in two World Cup Finals.
- Pele registered six assists at Mexico 1970 – a record for one World Cup. Four players managed five: Robert Gadocha at Germany 1974, Pierre Littbarski at Spain 1982, Diego Maradona at Mexico 1986 and Thomas Hassler at USA 1994. Pele also recorded an unprecedented three assists in deciders: one against Sweden in 1958 and two against Italy in 1970. – www.fifa.com
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