Pelé dies at the age of 82. Three-time world champion of the Brazilian national team had been hospitalized for a month and died recently.
The Athlete of the Century had been hospitalized since November 29 at the Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo. The hospitalization occurred due to a respiratory infection after he contracted Covid-19 and for the reassessment of the treatment of colon cancer.
Top 10 Greatest Pelé Moments From the World Cup
A true icon of world football, Pelé captured the heart of fans across the globe. From dazzling in his first FIFA World Cup as 17 year old to lifting the trophy in Mexico in 1970, his skill and quality were plain to see. He would end his career with three FIFA World Cup winners’ medals.
- 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.
