Soccer legend Pelé died on Thursday at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer.
The Brazilian soccer player, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, is survived by his mother, Celeste, who celebrated her 100th birthday last month.
Celeste is unaware of her son’s death as she “doesn’t know the situation” and is “in her own world”, Pelé’s 78-year-old sister, Maria Lucia do Nascimento said in an interview with the ESPN sports.
“Sometimes I say, “Dico (Pelé’s nickname in the family) is like this, but let’s pray for him, right, mom? Sometimes she opens her eyes… but she’s not aware,” she said.
Pelé had a colon tumor removed in September 2021, but it is not known if it spread to other organs. He was admitted to the Albert Einstein hospital on November 29 with COVID-19 and a respiratory infection, and last week the hospital stated that his cancer had advanced.
Pelé led Brazil to three World Cup victories in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. He was also named the “greatest” soccer player by FIFA and holds the Guinness World Record for most goals scored, with 1,279 in 1,363 games. The name Pelé has been synonymous with soccer.
Pelé’s funeral will be held at Santos’ stadium on January 2 and 3, 2023, and he will be buried at Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica afterwards. Despite his passing, Pelé’s legacy as one of the greatest soccer players in history will live on, remembered for his unmatched skill and success on the field.