‘Beauty Race’ standard bearer to start colon cancer treatment in 2021
Published Date – Fri 30 Dec 22 at 01:01am
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Sao Paulo: Brazilian football king Pele, who won a record three World Cup titles and became one of the most influential sports figures of the last century, died on Thursday. He is 82 years old.
“Beautiful Race” flag bearer begins colon cancer treatment in 2021. He was hospitalized last month with various illnesses. His agent, Joe Fraga, confirmed his death. Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, Pele has spent nearly two decades as the most prolific scorer, captivating fans and dazzling opponents in both Brazilian club Santos and Brazil national team competitions. His grace, athleticism and mesmerizing moves left players and fans alike stunned.
He crafted a fast, fluid style that revolutionized the game – a samba-like flair that embodies his country’s elegance on the pitch. He led Brazil to the pinnacle of football and became a global ambassador for the sport, a journey that began on the streets of Santiago in the state of São Paulo, kicking a sock stuffed with newspaper or rags. Other than Pele, only the late Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are mentioned when talking about football’s greatest players.
Different sources, counting different sets of matches, list Pele’s goal total anywhere between 650 (league) and 1,281 (all senior games, some for lower tiers). The player known as “The King” was introduced to the world at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, at the age of 17, becoming the youngest player in the tournament’s history. After scoring twice in Brazil’s 5-2 win over the hosts in the final, he was carried off the pitch by his teammates. Injuries limited him to just two matches as Brazil defended their world title in 1962, but Pele was a symbol of Brazil’s national triumph at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
He scored in the final and provided an assist for Carlos Alberto who scored the final goal in Italy’s 4-1 win. The image of Pelé in a bright yellow Brazil jersey with the number 10 on the back is still in the memory and fans are everywhere. Just like his signature goal celebration – a leap with his right fist high above his head. Pele’s fame was so great that in 1967, various factions in the Nigerian Civil War agreed to a brief ceasefire so he could compete in an exhibition match in the country. In 1997, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. When he visited Washington to help promote the sport in North America, it was the president of the United States who first reached out. “My name is Ronald Reagan and I am the President of the United States of America,” the host said to the visitor. “But you don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pele is.” Talk about racism.
Opposing fans taunted Pele with monkey chants across the country and around the world. “He said if he had to stop every time he heard those chants, he would never play,” said Angelica Basthi, one of Bailey’s biographers. “He was the key to black pride in Brazil, but he never wanted to be a standard-bearer.” Pele’s life after football has taken many forms. He was a politician – Brazil’s Special Minister of Sports – a wealthy businessman and an ambassador to UNESCO and the United Nations. He acted in movies, soap operas, and even wrote songs and recorded CDs for Brazilian pop. As his health deteriorated, his travels and appearances became less and less frequent.
In the final years of his life, he was often seen in a wheelchair and did not take part in the unveiling of his statue representing Brazil in the 1970 World Cup. Pelé spent his 80th birthday in isolation at his beach home with several family members. Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) was born on October 23, 1940 in the small town of Tres Coracoes in the interior of Minas Gerais. equipment. At the age of 11, Pele’s talent attracted attention and a local professional brought him to Santos’ youth team. It didn’t take long for him to break into the senior team. Even though he’s young and 5-foot-8, he scores against grown men with as much ease as he does against friends in his hometown. He made his debut for the Brazilian club at the age of 16 in 1956, and the club quickly gained worldwide recognition. The name Pele came from his mispronouncing the name of a player named Billy. He played in the 1958 World Cup as a substitute but became a key player in Brazil’s championship team for his country.
His first goal, flicking the ball over a defender’s head before going around him, was voted one of the best goals in World Cup history. The 1966 World Cup in England – won by the hosts – was a painful moment for Pele, who was already considered a top player in the world. Brazil were knocked out in the group stage and an angry Pele vowed it would be his last World Cup. He changed his mind and was rejuvenated in the 1970 World Cup.
Against England, he headed home, but the great Gordon Banks sent the ball over the bar with a stunning move. Pele likened the best save in World Cup history to “a salmon climbing a waterfall”. He later scored his first goal in the final against Italy, his last World Cup game. Pele played a total of 114 games for Brazil, scoring a record 95 goals, 77 of which were scored in official matches.
His association with Santos lasted more than three decades until he entered semi-retirement at the end of the 1972 season. Wealthy European clubs tried to sign him, but the Brazilian government stepped in to prevent his sale, declaring him a national treasure. On the pitch, Pele’s energy, vision and imagination led a talented Brazilian national team with a fast, fluid style of play. This is the case of “O Jogo Bonito” – Portuguese for “beautiful game”. His 1977 autobiography “My Life and the Beautiful Game” made the phrase part of the football lexicon. In 1975, he joined the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Although Bailey is 34 years old and has passed his prime, he has given football a higher profile in North America. He led the Cosmos to the 1977 league title and scored 64 goals in three seasons.
Bailey ended his career on October 1, 1977, when he took part in an exhibition game between the Cosmos and Santos in front of an audience of about 77,000 in New Jersey. He played half the games at each club. Among the dignitaries present, there was perhaps only one athlete of world renown—Muhammad Ali. Pele has had a tough time in his personal life, not least when his son Edinho was arrested on drug charges. Pelé has two daughters born out of wedlock and five children from two previous marriages, Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi and Acilia Sykes · Lemos (Assiria Seixas Lemos). He later married businesswoman Marcia Sibelle Aoki.
