• Striker widely regarded as the best to have played the game
• Pelé scored a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 games
• Pelé tops our list of the top 100 all-time World Cup footballers
• Observer Archive from 1970: ‘There is only one Pelé’
Pelé, the Brazilian virtuoso whose captivating skill and athleticism ensured he was universally regarded as one of football’s greatest players, has died at the age of 82.
Pelé, who had a colon tumour removed in 2021, was readmitted to Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo in November amid deteriorating health. After reports he was receiving end-of-life care, Pelé said he felt “strong, with a lot of hope” in a social media post on 3 December.
