Ceferin: “Pelé played a pioneering role in the rise of football”

UEFA joins the condolences for the death of the Brazilian

MADRID, 29 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The president of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, expressed the condolences of the body that governs European football for the death of former footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento, ‘Pelé’, this Thursday, who played “a pioneering role in the rise of football”.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Pelé, one of the greatest players of all time. He was soccer’s first global superstar and, through his achievements on and off the pitch, played a pioneering role in soccer’s rise to become the most popular sport in the world,” says Ceferin.

“We will miss him very much. On behalf of the European football community, rest in peace, Pelé,” added the UEFA president in an official statement shortly after the news broke.

Pelé won three World Cups and is considered one of the best players in history. The 82-year-old Brazilian had been admitted to a hospital in Sao Paulo since November 29, due to complications from colon cancer.