After bravely fighting an intense battle with a compilation of sicknesses, the football legend King Pelé sadly passed away last night. It was devastating news for everyone worldwide, as Pelé was loved and adored by many. Not only that, but the Brazilian sensation was an inspiration for many top footballers today. Duly, his death would affect many.
Therefore, many star players paid tribute to the legend upon his demise. Some of them are Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
Neymar thanked Pelé for giving the number ’10’ a meaning
In a heartfelt post shared by Neymar, the player who joins Pelé as the highest scorer in men’s international football with 77 goals, he thanked the King for being an inspiration to him.
Neymar said,
Before Pelé, ten was just a number.
I’ve read this phrase somewhere, at some point in my life.
But this beautiful sentence feels incomplete.
I would say, before Pelé, football was just a sport.
He changed everything
Peléturned football into art and entertainment.
He gave voice to the poor, the blacks and mostly— he gave visibility to our country [Brazil].
Football and Brazil raised in status thanks to the King!
He’s no longer here, but his magic remains.
Pelé is FOREVER!!
Bidding a mere ‘goodbye’ won’t suffice for Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t shake his disbelief upon receiving the news of Pelé’s death.
He wrote in a post,
My deep condolences to all of Brazil, and in particular to the family of Edson Arantes do Nascimento. A mere ‘goodbye’ to the eternal King Pelé will never be enough to express the pain the entire football world is experiencing. [He] is an inspiration to millions of people, a reference: yesterday, today and forever. The love you always showed me was reciprocated in every moment we shared, even from a distance. He will never be forgotten and lives in every football lover’s memories. Rest in peace, King Pelé.
Kylian Mbappe: “[Pelé’s] legacy will never be forgotten”
In a short but heartwarming post, the French player Kylian Mbappe wrote, “The King of football has left us, but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING.”
Messi hopes Pelé will rest in peace
The Argentinian player, Lionel Messi, posted some photos taken with Pelé when he was still you. He wrote, “Rest in peace, Pelé.”
Former USA President Barrack Obama said his goodbye
In a tweet, Obama also paid tribute to the legendary Brazil player. He said Pelé was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game. He became the most recognizable athlete in the world. Obama added the player understood the power of sports that could unite people.
Additionally, many people pay homage to the incredible player across social media platforms.
Fans bid their last goodbye to the player by making tribute posts to Pelé.
We send our deepest condolences to Brazil’s forward, Pelé, and his loved wants. We humbly thank him for his impeccable contribution to the football world. He created a different horizon where football could connect people with different skin colors and beliefs into one. He will surely be missed.
May you rest in peace, Pelé.
Sources: Sky Sports, FootballHistory.org, Instagram Neymar, Instagram Cristiano Ronaldo, Instagram Kylian Mbappe, Instagram Lionel Messi, Twitter Barrack Obama, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok