Before Messi, Ronaldo, Beckham, there was Pele – US President pays glowing tribute to legendary footballer

US President, Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. has paid glowing tribute to the Brazilian legendary footballer, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, affectionately known worldwide as Pele.

The world star was reported death on Thursday, December 29, at Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil where he has been on admission since late November 2022.

Reacting to the news in a Facebook post sighted by GhanaPlus.com, President Biden said before notable names in football such as Messi, Ronaldo and Beckham came into the lime light, the renowned footballer was there.

According to him, Pele’s story is one of possibilities.

He wrote “Before there was Messi, Ronaldo, Beckham, there was Pelé. In 1958, he won his first World Cup for Brazil at seventeen – the youngest winner ever. He went on to win another two World Cups in 1962 and 1970, making him the only player in the world today with three World Cup trophies,” President Biden said.

“For a sport that brings the world together like no other, Pelé’s rise from humble beginnings to soccer legend is a story of what is possible,” he added.

He extended his thought and love to the family of Pele and also all who loved him, the world over.

“Today, Jill and I’s thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him”.

Pele

Pele, a Brazilian footballer rose to fame at age 17 when he helped his home country, Brazil to win the  1958 World Cup in Sweden.

“He scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Wales in the quarter-finals, a hat-trick against France in the semi-final and two in a 5-2 triumph over the hosts in the final,” BBC report said .

“Pele had made his debut for club side Santos two years earlier at the age of 15, scoring in a 7-1 win over Corinthians de Santo Andre,” the report added.

“It was the first of 643 goals he would score for the club in official competitions over 19 years, although Santos claim the total is more than 1,000”.

The footballer described as one of the world’s greatest in the world of football is credited a world record of 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances in a 21-year old career including  77 goals in 92 matches for his country, Brazil.

Pele as affectionately, known world over is the only player to win the World Cup three times, that is in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

The celebrated Brazilian star was named Fifa’s Player of the Century in 2000.

Source: GhanaPlus.com