Following Pelé’s death, athletes, analysts, and international leaders began paying tribute to him on social media.
Jon Stewart, a lifelong soccer fan, has also expressed his respect for the great on Twitter.
“The Cosmos team included Beckenbauer, Chinaglia, Hunt, Eskandarian, and Morais, but Pele stole the show. Thank you for allowing me to meet him in person; it was a true pleasure. “RIP, ” tweeted Stewart.
Pelé, whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento and who was born on October 23, 1940, in the little town of Tres Coracoes, is widely recognized as one of the greatest soccer players in history.
Six of Pelé’s seven children and his wife, businesswoman Marcia Cibele Aoki, have survived his death.
Cristiano Ronaldo, another renowned soccer star, paid tribute to his longtime friend and mentor on Instagram.
He tweeted a photo of the two men shaking hands, “My profound condolences to everyone of Brazil, and especially to the family of Edson Arantes do Nascimento.” The message was originally written in Portuguese and then translated into English.
“A mere ‘goodbye’ to the legendary King Pelé will never be enough to express the agony that the entire football world is currently suffering,” Ronaldo remarked. “Pelé was one of the game’s all-time greats. A source of inspiration for millions, a link between the past, the present, and the future.”
“Even though we were physically apart, I could feel your affection for me in every moment we were together. He will never be forgotten, and those of us who are football fans will remember him for the rest of our lives. May you rest in peace, King Pelé.”
