Pelé, the Brazilian soccer star, died Thursday at the age of 82 after a long battle with colon cancer.
The legendary athlete’s health had deteriorated seriously over the holidays. He was in the hospital on Christmas, receiving treatment for cardiac and renal dysfunction.
Pelé's daughter Kely Nascimento announced her father’s passing in a social-media statement: “Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.” On Christmas Eve, she posted a picture of her hugging Pelé in a hospital bed, where he continued to fight for his life against the disease.
An international icon, Pelé is the the only man to have won the World Cup three times, clinching victory for Brazil in the 1958, 1962, and 1970 tournaments. At the time of his first men’s World Cup competition, Pelé was 17 years old and the youngest player to ever participate.
Alongside Diego Maradona of Argentina, Pelé was declared the joint winner of FIFA’s Player of the Century award in 2000. In 1999, the International Olympic Committee gave him the honor of Athlete of the Century. Pelé also famously and endearingly dubbed soccer “the beautiful game.”
In his final days, Pelé was still commenting about the sport he loved and to which he dedicated his career.
“Hello from Brazil! I hope you’re all enjoying watching the games at the World Cup as much as I am,” he wrote on social media on November 29. “I love fútbol so deeply and I also love it for how it helps and empowers children through fun, teamwork, and creativity.”
A vigil commemorating Pelé will be held at Vila Belmiro in Santos, Brazil — the city where he will be buried.
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