New Delhi: Brazilian football legend Pele has died at the age of ’82, the winner of the record 3 World Cups. Pele was one of the greatest players to have widely gained a foothold on the football pitch.

Pele made his debut at the FIFA World Cup in 1958. Brazilian football icon Pele is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and the only player to win the FIFA World Cup three times.

His daughter Kely Nascimento wrote on Instagram, “Thanks to who we are. We love you immensely.” The legendary footballer had been battling stomach cancer for some time and was admitted to a hospital on November 29 for respiratory problems. He had cheered for the Brazilian team during the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in Qatar from a hospital bed.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele, was born on October 23, 1940, in Tres Coracos, Minas Gerais state of Brazil. He achieved global superstardom after playing a key role in Brazil’s first FIFA World Cup victory in 1958. Pele scored a hat-trick in the semi-finals against France and followed him with a brace in the final against Sweden.

He was again part of the team that defended the title in 1962, before adding a third World Cup to his name in 1970, when Brazil famously beat Italy in the final. It is fitting that Pele remained Brazil’s highest goalscorer with 77 goals in 95 games during his lifetime.

During the team’s quarter-final defeat in the World Cup earlier this month, Brazil’s current sensation Nemar equalized his record. As a professional footballer, Pele won the FIFA World Cup a total of 3 times which is still a record for an individual footballer.

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