Breaking News: Pele dies aged 82

Legendary Brazilian footballer Pele has passed away aged 82, his manager has confirmed.

Pele had been in hospital over the Christmas period after failing to respond to chemotherapy treatment – treatment he had been receiving since being diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021.

During his storied career the Brazilian won a record three FIFA World Cups and is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

The first of those World Cup triumphs came in 1958, when a 17-year-old burst onto the scene to guide his nation to their first ever Jules Rimet trophy. Pele would score a brace in the final win over Sweden, becoming one of only two teenagers to ever score in a World Cup final (along with Kylian Mbappe, who achieved the feat in 2018).

Perhaps the abiding memory of Pele for many was the 1970 World Cup however, when the mercurial forward was the protagonist of the greatest footballer team ever seen.

Along with Rivellino, Tostao, Jairzinho, Carlos Alberto and co. Pele played the beautiful game in the way it should be played, trouncing the majority of teams in the tournament on the way to an emphatic 4-1 final win over Italy.

In said final, Pele would score Brazil’s 100th World Cup goal, nodding home brilliantly in the 18th minute, before setting up what is widely regarded as one of the best goals ever scored with a lovely through ball to Carlos Alberto.

At club level Pele was equally iconic, spending the bulk of his career at Santos where he’d win two Copa Libertadores’.