The football world has been hit with the sad news of the demise of global football icon Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known commonly Pele.

After a protracted illness, Pele passed on in the late hours of Thursday, December 29, 2022 at the age of 82.

In 1970, Pele made history as the first player to win the World Cup three times, having previously won it in 1958 and 1962.

Till date, he remains the only footballer to have accomplished such a feat - three World Cups.

In a career that spanned 21 years, Pele scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances for both club and country.

For Brazil, Pele scored 77 goals in 92 matches.

On social media, tributes have been pouring in from football clubs, footballers, fans and even non-sports lovers.

The likes of Real Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea Manchester United, Inter Milan, Barcelona, among other have sent their messages of commiserations to Pele’s family.

The footballers are led by Brazilian forwar Neymar who penned an emotional message on Instagram. Hundreds of footballers have also taken to social media platforms to eulogize the man widely regarded as the greatest footballer in history.

Former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama also sent a heartwarming message to Pele’s family and the football world.