Wembley arch to be lit up in colours of Brazil – FA
The Football Association have announced that Wembley’s famous arch will be lit up in the colours of Brazil, in tribute to the football great.
“Everyone who loves football, loves Pele,” the FA statement said.
“His unique talent lit up the game, and inspired football.
“Our thoughts are with his family, the Brazil Football Confederation and the Brazilian people.”
Game’s finest?
Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer
When the argument of who was the game’s finest is conducted – almost always in a World Cup context – Brazil’s great rivals Argentina will make the case for the late Diego Maradona, who almost single-handedly, literally according to England after his infamous “Hand Of God” quarter-final goal, took them to World Cup glory in 1986.
Argentines will even offer up Maradona’s successor Lionel Messi as another rival to Pele’s greatness in an argument that will never be fully settled to the satisfaction of either of these great South American adversaries.
Pele, though, did not have Maradona’s dark side, one example of which saw the latter ejected from the 1994 World Cup in the United States after testing positive for the drug ephedrine. Messi, however, has since gone on to claim World Cup glory with Argentina at the 2022 tournament.
Iconic photo used in England tribute
The photo of Pele and Bobby Moore embracing after the classic encounter at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico features in this tribute from England.
Summary
- Brazilian legend Pele, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, has died at the age of 82.
- The striker is credited with scoring a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 career appearances
- He is the only man to have won the World Cup three times – in 1958, 1962 and 1970
- An icon – for everyone’
Katy WatsonSouth America correspondent in São PauloBrazil’s King is dead – and the whole country is in mourning.Pelé was, of course, a global icon – but for Brazilians, it was so much more personal – he was a national treasure, a hero and a footballing legend.And the entire country had been waiting – and dreading – this moment.His daughter, Kely Nascimento, had been posting regular updates of her father’s condition on social media.On Thursday afternoon, a picture of the family holding hands was posted, with the words: “Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.”Whether an older Brazilian who remembered him as a player, or a younger Brazilian who was told about his phenomenal skills, the whole of Brazil saw him as an admirable elderly statesman in a country that has been pulled apart by partisan politics in recent years.Pelé was above all of that: he was footballer – an icon – for everyone.Article Reactions
Katy WatsonSouth America correspondent in São PauloBrazil’s King is dead – and the whole country is in mourning.Pelé was, of course, a global icon – but for Brazilians, it was so much more personal – he was a national treasure, a hero and a footballing legend.And the entire country had been waiting – and dreading – this moment.His daughter, Kely Nascimento, had been posting regular updates of her father’s condition on social media.On Thursday afternoon, a picture of the family holding hands was posted, with the words: “Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.”Whether an older Brazilian who remembered him as a player, or a younger Brazilian who was told about his phenomenal skills, the whole of Brazil saw him as an admirable elderly statesman in a country that has been pulled apart by partisan politics in recent years.Pelé was above all of that: he was footballer – an icon – for everyone.Article ReactionsOnly one winner’
Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football
Pele’s great rival of the age was Portugal’s legend Eusebio, but when the pair were in opposition in the 1962 Intercontinental Cup, played between the winners of the Copa Libertadores and the European Cup, there was only one winner.
Pele was on target twice in Santos’ 3-2 win against Benfica in the Maracana before scoring a hat-trick in a 5-2 victory in return at the Stadium of Light.
In Brazil, Pele will also be associated with the white shirt of Santos, for whom he scored 619 goals in 638 appearances which, coupled with his glorious deeds for his country, gave him – in his homeland at least – the undisputed title of the game’s greatest player.
READ ALSO:
‘A genius and a legend’
#bbcfootball
Gregg Baxter: Not old enough to have seen his genius, but the stories, clips, and records he has are simply staggering, one of the greatest to ever the play the beautiful game, an iconic figure every football fan knows. Rest in Peace legend.
A nice tribute from the Brazilian Football Federation as they describe Pele as “Eternal” and rather than post his year of death, instead use the infinity symbol.
‘Pele will always have footballing immortality’
‘The football world has lost a hero’
All the greats of the game, past and present, will have looked up to and been inspired by Pele – the first real global football icon.
Barcelona and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski is the latest to pay tribute to the man he describes as a hero.
Pele transformed football into art – Neymar
Brazil star Neymar has now joined an outpouring of tributes amid news of the death of “King Pele”.
In a post on Instagram, Neymar says: “Before Pele, ’10’ was only a number. I read this phrase somewhere, sometime in my life.
“But this phrase, beautiful, is incomplete.
“I would say that before Pele, football was solely a sport.
“Pele changed everything.
“He transformed football into art, into entertainment.
“He gave voice to the poor, to black people, and most importantly: He gave visibility to Brazil.
“Football and Brazil elevated their status thanks to the King!
“He is gone, but his magic will stay.
“Pele is eternal!!”
and the tributes continue…..
‘Pele also a keen songwriter’
This is nice from the BBC’s man on the ground in Russia…
Courtesy of BBC Sport
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