Legendary Brazilian soccer player Pele has died, according to the hospital where he was receiving care for a prolonged illness. He was 82. His impact on the sport of soccer during his playing career and after it as former Minister of Sports in Brazil and an ambassador of the can be attributed as one of the reasons soccer has become a global sensation.Birth name Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele's illustrious career includes winning the FIFA World Cup in 1958, 1962, and 1970, making him the only international player to win the sport's biggest tournament 3 times. His professional career started at 15 for Santos in Brazil's top league for 18 years, then for the New York Cosmos for 4 years where his influence helped popularize and grow the sport in the United States. The familiarity and prestige of the number 10 in soccer has been attributed to Pele's fame and the sport being called "The Beautiful Game" took hold after his autobiography My Life and the Beautiful Game was released in 1977.The hospital where Pele was being treated stated that the sporting icon died of multiple organ failure primarily caused by colon cancer. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2021. Pele's death is felt across all disciplines of sport. As news of his death spread and was confirmed by his manager, tributes from professional athletes and celebrities around the world poured in from around the world, including PSG superstar and fellow Brazilian Neymar.
Pele's impact spread into video games with games like Pele's Soccer for the Atari 2600 in 1983 and then Pele! made by Remedy Entertainment for the Sega Genesis in 1993 and Pele 2: World Tournament Soccer in 1994, again for the Sega Genesis. In the modern era, Pele's presence in video games is as a highly valued card in EA Sport's FIFA Ultimate Team game mode. There are 4 variants of Pele Ultimate Team cards in FIFA 23, including a World Cup Heroes card offered during the Qatar World Cup. All of his Ultimate Team cards over the years have had 91 or above ratings with 99 ratings in FIFA 19, 20, 21, and 22.
Pele's funeral is scheduled for January 2 and 3, where his casket will be carried through the streets of his home city of Santos, Brazil. Pele's impact reach far beyond his pitch as he often praised the current generation of stars athletes and celebrities. His loss will be felt by all those that love the sport and knew of his legacy.
Source: Associated Press, SVG