Barack Obama believed Brazilian soccer legend Pele was the greatest player of all time. Image via Twitter @ovieO /@barackobama
Barack Obama sends condolences to soccer legend Pelé’s family
Former American President Barack Obama sent his respects to Pelé’s family after learning about the sportsman’s death on Thursday.
Barack Obama believed Brazilian soccer legend Pele was the greatest player of all time. Image via Twitter @ovieO /@barackobama
Soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka Pelé succumbed to cancer at age 82. He died at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo on Thursday 29 December. His fans around the world mourned him online. One of them, Barack Obama paid his tribute to the sports icon 30 December.
SOCCER LEGEND: HOW WILL PELÉ BE REMEMBERED BY THE WORLD?
According to Super Sport, the Brazilian soccer star was undergoing treatment for colon cancer and passed away at 3:27 pm due to multiple organ failures.
The sports legend became a global icon when he was 17 years. The whole world celebrated his incredible skills when he scored twice at the 1958 World Cup match defeating Sweden.
He later was recognised for being the only soccer player to win the World Cup three times.
Over the years, the unmatched athlete made 77 goals in 92 matches, Sky Sports reported.
FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA PAYS HIS RESPECTS TO PELÉ’S FAMILY
Former president of the United States, Obama shared his condolences to Pelé’s family in an Instagram post. He said that the soccer player was “the greatest to ever play the beautiful game.”
Obama shared a picture which he took with the great sportsman during the time he was alive and captioned it,
“Pelé was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game. And as one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together.
“Our thoughts are with his family and everyone who loved and admired him,” he added.
RIP: HOW ARE PELÉ’S FAMILY MEMBERS REACTING TO THE TRAGIC NEWS?
NDTV reported Pelé’s daughter Kely Cristina Nascimento announced her father’s passing on Instagram. She shared a photo of her father laying in a hospital bed.
In the picture, the grieving family members clamped their hands over Pele’s body.
To caption the post, Nascimento wrote,
“Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.
