The footballing world is in mourning following the death of Pele, one of the game’s greatest ever players.
His agent, Joe Fraga, confirmed that Pele has died on Thursday at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo. The Brazilian had been hospitalised since last month, following the worsening of his symptoms of bowel cancer.
Pele was reported to have been transferred to palliative care in early December, although he later issued a statement to allay fears, saying that he felt well.
In recent days, his daughter Kelly Nascimento spoke of her family’s difficulties in dealing with her father’s situation, which included spending Christmas in hospital.
Pele was the most successful player in World Cup history, having been the only person in history to have won the tournament on three separate occasions. He was also Brazil’s joint all-time leading scorer, level with Neymar.
He is survived by his wife Marcia Aoki, along with his seven children.
