Three-time World Cup winner and the football king Pele has died at the age of 82 from complications from colon cancer, with immediate condolences from the football world.
The tribute delivered by Neymar was particularly touching. Fans should know that he and the two have been openly supporting each other. Pele helped guide Neymar to greatness and Neymar made Pele proud with his achievements. In the World Cup not long ago, he broke Pele’s personal scoring record for the country.
🚨LEIA: Neymar presta homenagem ao Pelé no Instagram: “Pelé mudou tudo. Transformou o futebol em arte, em entretenimento. Deu voz aos pobres, aos negros e principalmente: Deu visibilidade ao Brasil. Ele se foi, mas a sua magia permanecerá”. pic.twitter.com/HI7YebH0BV
— CHOQUEI (@choquei) December 29, 2022
Pele gives Neymar fatherly advice
“I always said that Neymar will become a great player,” Pele explained back in 2018. “But what has happened in recent years? He began to want to appear in another way, not by scoring goals but by making gestures, simulating fouls, and complicating the referees’ lives. That’s why his image became negative.”
“We have talked about it several times together, despite everything he remains one of the best players in the world. A father does not criticize, a father educates his son. When I say to you that he is our child, it’s because he is considered a child of Santos. People think that I ‘twist his ear’ too often, but I do it for his own good, I wish the best for him, for Brazil, and I will do everything to help him.”
Neymar's tribute to Pele 🗣️:
— Omo ope⚡ (@9407b34a22b64da) December 29, 2022
"Before Pelé, 10 was just a number. Before Pelé, football was just a sport. Pelé changed it all. He turned football into art, into entertainment. He gave voice to the poor, to the blacks and especially to Brazil."
"Pelé is FOREVER!" pic.twitter.com/3koJurGwH2
Pele’s compliments on Neymar
“Every time I see this boy, he is smiling,” Pele beamed. “It’s impossible not to smile back. It is contagious. I, like all Brazilians, am always happy when I see him playing. Today, he took another step towards my goal-scoring record for the Selecao. And I’m rooting for him to get there, with the same joy I’ve had since I saw him play for the first time.”
Not long ago, Pele saw Neymar‘s performance in the World Cup. Despite being unwell, Pele wrote on Instagram with the help of his social media assistant:
“I saw you grow, I cheered for you every day, and finally I can congratulate you for equaling my number of goals with the Brazilian national team… You made it, boy. It values the greatness of your achievement.”