Pele, the 'Black Pearl' who dazzled the world of football is no more

Edson Arantes do Nascimento affectionately known as Pele on Thursday took the final breath of his career aged 82. The magical Brazilian soccer star who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and most known athletes in modern history had been in and out of hospital lately after a tumour was detected in his colon.  The greatest of all time scored a record 1281 goals, and is the only player ever to win the World Cup three times. Known for his panache, outrageous skills and excellent ball control, the Brazilian was regarded as a complete player. 

Born on Oct 23, 1940, in the tiny town of Tres Corações, Pele learned the game from his father, a semi professional player whose promising career was prematurely ended by a knee injury. Myths obfuscate some parts of his boyhood, including the origin of his renowned moniker. According to Pele (on occasion), he frequently played goalkeeper in the neighbourhood, and youngsters began comparing him to a local player named "Bile" - and the letters were twisted over time.  

Whatever be the truth, he was soon seen bedazzling scouts as an attacking forward- a prototype number 10 and not as a goalkeeper. He was widely respected for his range of talents, and more so than any player since, he could do it all. He was two footed, had stupendous pace and stamina, he could head, pass, tackle and of course most importantly he can score goals for fun. 

He became a Santos club member at the age of 15 and transformed the tiny coastal club into one of the most eminent names in football. During his 18-year tenure with the club, he won every Brazilian football award, as well as two Copa Libertadores (the South American counterpart of the Champions League) and two Intercontinental Cups (the yearly tournament between the top teams in Europe and South America).

His talent was soon noticed by the national team, and he was named to the Brazil squad for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, despite the fact that a team psychologist deemed him "clearly infantile" and urged against playing him. Pele went on to score a hat-trick in the semi-final against France, as well as two goals in the final against the hosts Sweden, to help Brazil win its first-ever championship. Injuries kept him out of all but two games of Brazil's 1962 World Cup victory. At the 1970 tournament in Mexico, a now completely mature 29-year-old Pele won the title for the third time with a Brazil team that included other talents like Carlos Alberto Torres and Tosto, and is often regarded as the best team ever.