Digital Desk, Rio de Janeiro. Heartfelt tributes have been paid to Brazil’s greatest footballer, Pele, after he died of cancer at the age of 82. Pelé’s death dominated newspapers in Brazil and South America on Friday. Folha de S. Paulo said that about the icon of the 20th century, Pelé showed the power of sport and set new limits to fame.
This highlighted Pele’s role in temporarily stopping the Nigerian Civil War. The warring sides signed a two-day truce in 1969, during which a friendly match was played that included the famous number 10 jersey. Folha de S Paulo’s Juca Kafouri wrote: “The superstar proved that his football stopped wars And it changed the game forever.”
The newspaper praised Pelé’s ability to maintain a high level throughout his professional career. The teams changed during his 20-year career, the newspaper said, and the only thing that didn’t change was that Pelé was always a reference. The State of São Paulo said that Pelé’s spirit would never die. The newspaper wrote, Pele never dies like the gods on Olympus. He will always be alive in the memory of the world. He made football the dream of humanity.
Globo Esporte said that Pelé had reached a peak of fame that had not been seen before or since his playing days. Pele had become a world figure even before globalization, the newspaper said. The best soccer player in history had made all the corners of the world his own. Pelé’s matches were not broadcast every week in the world, the newspaper wrote. There was no internet to show the videos of his achievements but he had conquered the world which was the most impressive thing. He had become an example of perfection. Pelé became a brand before he became a marketing person.
The news of Pelé’s death became front-page news in Argentina. He put aside for a while the debate that Pelé and not Diego Maradona was the best player in history. Soccer has lost its king, said the online sports magazine Ole. This news has shocked the world in the midst of the Christmas festivities. The Buenos Aires newspaper Clarín said that Pelé was responsible for making Brazilian soccer great. He will always be fondly remembered.
(IANOS)
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