Just as the World Cup ended, the man considered one of the greatest players in soccer has passed away. Pele, a three-time World Cup winner, soccer icon, and a national treasure for Brazil has passed away. He was 82.

Pele, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, has been battling colon cancer and has been undergoing treatment since 2021. The Associated Press reported that he died of multiple organ failure. This was a result of his cancer.

As the World Cup was going on, Pele was hospitalized due to complications from COVID-19. Even though he already had been vaccinated and boosted, Pele's cancer complicated things. This resulted in Brazil players offering their one-sided beatdown of South Korea as a tribute to the legendary soccer great.

Pele to be Buried in His Hometown in Santos, Brazil

While the rest of Brazil considers him a national treasure, he is considered much more than that in his hometown, Santos, where he played almost his entire career, never playing in Europe.

He will be interred in Santos' home stadium, the Vila Belmiro Stadium, where he played some of his most thrilling and captivating matches. It is located outside Sao Paulo, and fans will be able to pay their respects to the soccer legend in the exact place where he used to dazzle audiences with some of the most majestic moves in the sport's history.

READ MORE: Pele's Cancer Worsening as Brazil Soccer Legend's Heart and Kidneys Are Affected

According to the Associated Press, the casket carrying Pele's body will leave Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo early Monday morning. From there, they will place it in the center of the field. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. until the next day at around the same time.

The casket will then be carried across the streets of Santos and pass in front of the home of his 100-year-old mother, Celeste, who is still alive and cannot leave her bed.

Finally, he will be buried at the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica, though only his family will attend the funeral.

Pele's Legacy Is Unlike Any Other

While he never played in the European leagues like the English Premiere League or La Liga, spending the majority of his club career with Santos, he was regarded by many as the best player of his time as he was beating European teams one after another with Brazil in the World Cup, as well as European clubs with Santos in the various exhibition games that he played.

Pele is credited with coining the phrase "Beautiful Game" in connection to soccer, and he was one of the people who popularized the bicycle kick, which many have coined as the "Pele Kick."

His legacy in soccer is so great that only Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo are mentioned alongside him, according to the Associated Press. He was so good that he was called the "King of Football."

With Santos, he won the Copa Libertadores twice and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A six times. He also won the Campeonato Paulista ten times with the club. With the New York Cosmos, he won the Soccer Bowl, and with Brazil, he won the World Cup thrice, as well as various international tournaments.

READ MORE: Pelé's Lung Infection Update: Brazil Legend Still Hospitalized, But There's a Major Improvement

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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