KARACHI:
On Thursday, Brazilian football legend Pele died at the age of 82. He rose from poverty to become the greatest footballer of all time and inspired many around the world. Pele who was named Edson Arantes do Nascimento scored a world record of 1,281 goals and is the only player to have won the World Cup three times.
From a hat trick in his first world cup to his closing act in 1970 final, Pele had many moments that will long be admired and replayed. He was nicknamed O Rei (The King) following the 1958 tournament. Pelé is the joint-top goal scorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 92 games. He transformed football in Brazil through his iconic career, which made the sport a source of income for the country and attracted tourism.
In recent months, Pele had been in and out of hospitals after a tumour was found on his colon in September 2021. He had to undergo a variety of chemotherapies due to his condition. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. According to some medical reports, he was experiencing kidney and heart complications that led him to intensive care and eventually his death. Players from around the world have sent their tributes and expressed their sorrow over Pele’s demise. Even though there can only be one Pele, I hope the coming generations of footballers continue to take inspiration from Pele’s legacy and emerge as great players.
Qamber Azeem
Kech
Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2022.
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