Brazilian soccer legend Pele, also known as Edson Arantes do Nascimento, sadly passed away on 29 December 2022 at the age of 82. He had been battling cancer in the hospital since November.
FIFA famously titled him 'The Greatest' in recognition of his pioneering work in football and influence both on and off the field.
Recently, his name was added to a Portuguest dictionary in Brazil as an adjective to use when describing someone who is "exceptional". According to an AP report, the dictionary entry reads: “The one that is extraordinary, or who because of his quality, value or superiority cannot be matched to anything or anyone, just like Pelé; nickname of Edson Arantes do Nascimento (1940-2022), considered the best athlete of all time; exceptional, incomparable, unique.
Examples: He is the Pelé of basketball, she is the Pelé of tennis, she is the Pelé of Brazilian theatre, he is the Pelé of medicine.”
As per reports, the word has been included only in the Michaelis dictionary's online version and later it will be added to printed dictionaries.
O REI OFICIALMENTE ESTÁ NO DICIONÁRIO!
April 26, 2023
Ele é o pelé do Basquete. Ela é a pelé do Tênis. A expressão que já era usada para se referir ao melhor naquilo que faz está eternizada nas páginas do dicionário! Juntos fizemos história e colocamos o nome do Rei do futebol na nossa língua… pic.twitter.com/Yy5RwWjq8JBut why the soccer legend was so famous, here is everything you need to know about Pele.
Who Was Pele?
A legendary Brazilian footballer, Pele found fame at an early age and was celebrated all over the world as one of the greatest footballers to ever play the game. He is best known for his incredible achievements throughout his career such as becoming the only player to have won three FIFA World Cup titles, making 1363 appearances in total, and scoring 128 goals. He was also nicknamed ‘Black Pearl' due to his magic with football.
Pele's Career Highlights
Pele is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players in history and his achievements have cemented his legacy. In 2000, Pele was awarded the FIFA Player of the Century Award which he shared with Argentinean football star, Diego Maradona. He won his first World Cup trophy at a young age of 18 and in doing so he scored 6 goals, two of which were in the final match against Sweden. By 1962, Pelé had already established himself as one of the top ranks in world football and is still considered an undisputed leader when it comes to skill on the pitch.
Moreover, Pele is also the only player to win three World Cups in 1958, 1962 and 1970 which speaks volumes about his talents. His remarkable skills on and off the ball has earned him praise from all over the world. He has received numerous awards such as Brazil's Golden Ball award for best player in 1999 and honorary degree by Harvard University for Outstanding Contribution to Global Football in 2006; two monumental feats that few others have been able to achieve after him. These extraordinary accomplishments remain unparalleled even today.
Being one of Brazil's most famous sports stars, Pele has left an incredible legacy that will live on forever. His death had resulted in mass outpourings from other influential names from all around the globe including Barack Obama along with many football greats past and present sending their respect to him.
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