Pele, Brazil's mighty king of 'beautiful game,' has died at 82

Pelé, the Brazilian king of soccer who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, died Thursday. He was 82.

The standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized for the last month said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer.

“Pelé changed everything. He transformed football into art, entertainment,” Neymar, a fellow Brazilian soccer player, said on Instagram. “Football and Brazil elevated their standing thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will endure. Pelé is eternal!”

Widely regarded as one of soccer’s greatest players, Pelé spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents as the game’s most prolific scorer with Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team - which he led to World Cups in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

At: https://apnews.com/article/pele-soccer-star-dead-f2c5f7d2771b96dbd854cb025ab2563a

Legendary Brazilian football forward Edson Arantes do Nascimento - Pelé - celebrates Brazil's World Cup victory in 1970 - the country's third, and the third in which he played a key role.