Soccer legend Pelé has passed away at the age of 82, after a battle with colon cancer and other ailments. Often considered the greatest footballer to ever live, Pelé was one of the most agile and skilled footballers ever to take the pitch, and he connected the phrase “The Beautiful Game” with soccer.
The accolades for Pelé border on the absolutely ridiculous. A 3-time World Cup winner, Pelé rose out of poverty in his native Brazil to become one of the greatest footballers ever in his native country. Debuting at the age of 15 (!!!) for Santos FC, he simply accomplished feats on the pitch that nobody could truly replicate. He even helped popularize soccer in the USA when he signed with the New York Cosmos of the NASL in 1975. For a time, he was the highest-paid athlete in the world.
As an attacking midfielder + striker, he could play a variety of positions on the pitch. With insane dribbling skills and technique, he could beat just about any defender while getting into forward positions. Perhaps the best measure of his talent was a quote offered by three-time Ballon D’or winner Michel Platini, who said “There’s Pelé the man, and then Pelé the player. And to play like Pelé is to play like God.”
