Three-time world football champion Pele has died. TASS news agency writes.

Three-time champion of the Brazilian national team, legendary football player Pele died at the age of 82.

In September 2021, Pele underwent surgery to remove a tumor in his colon. At the end of November 2022, the Brazilian was admitted to the hospital. On December 22, the former football player’s doctors reported that Pelé was experiencing a negative trend in cancer, and therefore he needed more intensive care due to kidney and heart dysfunction.

Pele (real name – Edson Arantis do Nascimento) played at a professional level from 1956 to 1977 as part of the Brazilian “Santos” and the American club “New York Cosmos”, together with “Santos” he became a five-time winner of the Brazilian Cup, two times each won the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup. As part of the Brazilian national team, Pele became the only three-time world champion as a player (1958, 1962, and 1970). He is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the author of 1,279 career goals.

In 2000, FIFA recognized Pele and Argentinian Diego Maradona as the best footballers of the 20th century.