“Pele changed everything. He turned football into art”

“The greatest footballer of all time”, Franz Beckenbauer once judged Pelé, and that was representative of millions of people. Pele died on Thursday at the age of 82. And Beckenbauer responded with touching words. “Football lost the greatest of its history today – and I lost a unique friend,” said the 77-year-old Beckenbauer in a statement released by FC Bayern Munich. “Born in Três Corações, Pelé had three hearts: for football, for his family, for all people. Someone who played with the stars and always stayed down to earth”

The Brazilian spent his last days with his family at the Israelita Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo. The world champion of 1958, 1962 and 1970 was seriously ill with cancer. The day before Christmas Eve, his daughter, Kely Cristina Nascimento, posted a photo with her father in bed, embracing each other. “We carry on here, in struggle and in faith. One more night together,” she wrote – it already sounded like farewell. This Thursday she wrote: “Everything we are we owe to you. We love you infinitely, rest in peace.”

She also posted a photo showing Pele lying in bed. His hands and those of his loved ones are on his body. At the top left of the picture you can see how a cannula is still stuck in the Brazilian’s arm.

Beckenbauer remembers the time he spent with Pelé at the US club Cosmos New York in 1977: “This time at his side was one of the greatest experiences of my career. We became US champions together right away, and Pelé then just called me his brother. It was an unimaginable honor for me.” At the end of the statement, Beckenbauer addressed the words directly to Pelé: “Football will be yours forever! you will always stay Thank you for your game, O Rei!”

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Numerous stars expressed their condolences, especially in Pelé’s home country. “Today I lost my brother. As a Catholic Christian, I know that ‘by dying one is born to eternal life,'” wrote Cafu, who won the 1994 and 2002 Seleção World Cup, on Twitter. “See you one day, Pelé,” he added.

“He gave a voice to the poor, to the black people and above all to the other”

Neymar, who wears Pelé’s former number 10 in Brazil’s national team, also offered heavy words of condolence: “I would say that before Pelé, football was just a sport. Pelé changed everything,” wrote the Paris Saint-Germain striker. “He turned football into art, into entertainment. He gave a voice to the poor, to the black people and above all to the other. It gave Brazil visibility.”

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Argentina’s world champion Lionel Messi summed it up: “Rest in peace, Pelé.” Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo wrote: “My deepest condolences to all of Brazil and especially to the family of Mr. Edson Arantes do Nascimento,” as Pelé’s real name was. “A mere ‘farewell’ to the eternal King Pelé will never be enough to express the pain that is gripping the whole world of football at this moment.” Pelé will always remain “an inspiration to so many millions of people”. “Rest in peace legend,” said former England international Wayne Rooney.

Numerous clubs and personalities from the family of the three-time world champion also sent their condolences from Germany. “I’m sure that ‘FC Himmel’ with Maradona and Pelé will always be invincible,” wrote Mesut Özil, world champion of 2014, referring to the Argentinian Diego Maradona, who died in 2020. Özil’s former club FC Schalke 04 said: “Probably the greatest footballer in history has left us.”

“Heaven Has a New Star”

Other reactions to Pelé’s death:

Kylian Mbappé (France): “The king of football has left us, but his legacy will never be forgotten. Rest in peace, king.”

Robert Lewandowski (Poland): “Rest in peace, champion. Heaven has a new star and football loses a hero.”

Sergio Ramos (Spain): “To talk about a legend or a historical figure does not go far enough. Simply, O Rei left us. Football will always remember you. Rest in peace Pelé.”

Rio Ferdinand (England): “The legend that stood tallest among legends. Always had time for everyone! The player, the man, the icon.”

Andrei Shevchenko (Ukraine): “Your legacy will always be remembered. My condolences to your family. RIP, king.”

Joseph S. Blatter (Ex-Fifa President, Switzerland): “Very sad news. Pele left us. The world mourns the greatest footballer in history and a wonderful personality.”

Real Madrid (Spain): “Real Madrid CF, its President and Board of Directors deeply regret the death of world football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé, one of the greatest players of all time. Pelé will forever be remembered by all who love the sport and his legacy places him among the great legends of world football.”

FC Barcelona (Spain): “Barça learned with sadness of the death of “Rei” Pelé, one of the greatest footballers of all time. He made football bigger than ever. Rest in peace.”

German Football League: “The football world mourns the loss of one of the greatest players of all time. Rest in peace, Pelé.”

La Liga (Spain): “A legend of world football. La Liga expresses its condolences on the death of Pele and extends its deepest condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace, O Rei.”