Pele’s death shocked the world. Although the 82-year-old Brazilian star’s health had been deteriorating for some time, the news shocked the world on Dec. 29.
“The world of football in mourning: Pelé died, he was 82 years old”, headlined the front page of La Gazzetta dello Sport. “The world of football is crying: Pelé didn’t make it, after several days in serious condition he died. O Rei was 82 years old and the news was given by his daughter”, he reflected.
In England, the story even made the front page of one of its major newspapers, The Guardian. “Pelé, Brazilian world champion and soccer legend, dies at 82,” they headlined.
“Pele, who had a colon tumor removed in 2021, was readmitted to Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo in November due to deteriorating health. After being reported to be receiving end-of-life care, Pele said he feeling “strong, with a lot of hope” in a social media post on Dec. 3,” they recalled.
In France, L’Equipe, the newspaper that awards the trophy to the best footballer in the world, sensationally changed its front page and announced the death of “King Pelé” with a giant photo.
“Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, died Thursday at the age of 82, at the Albert-Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo. Three times world champion, the Brazilian will forever remain a legend of football and sport in general” , he stressed.
“Football is in mourning: King Pelé has died at the age of 82,” published A Bola de Portugal. Across the border, in Spain, Marca highlighted: “A football legend has just leftone of the best players in history, undoubtedly the best of his time”.
In Catalonia, Mundo Deportivo commented that the Brazilian’s death occurred “due to complications from colon cancer”.
“Considered one of the greatest legends in football history together with Alfredo Di Stéfano, Johan Cruyff, Diego Armando Maradona and Leo Messi, the Brazilian striker is one of the most complete goalscorers in living memory (he scored 760 official goals, 1,284 counting friendlies) and the only footballer who has three World Cups to his creditthose conquered in 1958, 1962 and 1970,” they summarized.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, in a country with little football like the United States, Pelé’s death featured prominently on the website of The New York Times, one of the world’s leading newspapers.
“Pele, which has been declared national treasure in his native Brazilachieved worldwide celebrities and helped popularize the sport in the United States“, they remarked.
In South America, much closer to Pelé’s successes and his importance in the football of the region, the newspapers were full of articles derived from the death of the three-time world champion with the Brazilian team.
O’Globo, a correspondent for Brazilian newspapers, wrote: “Pele, the immortal king of football, dies at the age of 82. Symbol of a sport, two shirts and a country, the greatest player in history leaves us, a victim of cancer”.
In his main note, Folha de São Paulo He highlighted it on and off the pitch: “Best player in history, Pelé dies at 82, in Sao Paulo. Crack that delighted on the field, stopped wars and changed the sport forever“.
The Uruguayan observer He also remembered the Brazilian star in several articles, including the time he “entered the Centenario stadium in a Peñarol shirt” on December 2, 1969.
“The best player in history will be remembered forever”, described the Chilean newspaper La Tercera. “The legend of her, beyond her physical demise, will be passed down from generation to generation. It was her daughter who confirmed the death of the star whose life and titles will always elevate him to the pinnacle of the sport,” he added.
Source: Clarin
Jason Root is the go-to source for sports coverage at News Rebeat. With a passion for athletics and an in-depth knowledge of the latest sports trends, Jason provides comprehensive and engaging analysis of the world of sports.