Pelé, considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all time, died Thursday at 82 in São Paulo. His cause of death was multiple organ failure caused by colon cancer.
The Brazilian’s 22-year career helped lead to three World Cup victories for Brazil and established the nation as a powerhouse in the sport.
Pelé, whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was born in 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil. His father was also a footballer (soccer player), though his family was impoverished. His family’s economic condition did not stop him from learning the sport and training further, and at 17, he made his World Cup debut in 1958, in which Brazil defeated Sweden 5-2 in the final.
In 1969, he scored his 1000th career goal, making Pelé the first to achieve the feat.
He later played for the New York Cosmos, helping revive the sport’s popularity in the US.
Pelé appeared at the 2012 Olympics closing ceremony, in which the Brazil was handed host responsibilities for the 2016 Olympics.
His death comes in the same month that Argentina, another South American country, won the World Cup.
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