Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Pele: The player who united a nation

Pele was a footballing legend the world over, but for people in Brazil he was so much more. Outside the Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo, fans started gathering when they heard the news of Pele passing. Some were dressed in the number 10 shirt Pele wore when playing for Santos. Outside a banner had been draped that read "Eternal King Pele".

This is a moment that Brazilians had been expecting for some time but also dreading. In recent weeks, Pele's daughter Kely Nascimento had taken to Instagram to keep his fans updated about his condition - every post or story fervently followed for any news of "O Rei" ("The King" in Portuguese).

When news eventually came of his passing, it was still a big moment. The hospital issued a statement confirming his death from multiple organ failure connected to his colon cancer but it was more than just a medical bulletin - it also said that the hospital shared the suffering felt by the family and everyone over the loss of "our beloved King of football".

That is a mark of just how important he was for Brazilians - while Pele was of course a footballing legend the world over, for people here, he was so much more.

President-elect, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is due to be sworn in on Sunday, said he had had the privilege of seeing Pele play, although he added it wasn't merely "playing", it was a "show".

"Few Brazilians took the name of our country as far as he did," he said in a tweet, adding that there was never another number 10 like him.

For every Brazilian, Pele meant something. The older generations remembered him as a player, the younger Brazilians were told about his phenomenal skills - but he united people in this footballing nation.

This is a country that defines itself by football. During the World Cup, Brazilians are given leave to watch their national team. Pele was cheering them on from his hospital bed, wishing them well. And so his death coming after the tournament he won three times is even more poignant.

These past few weeks, Brazilians have had time to reflect on his life, knowing that his condition was worsening. Even people with no interest in football refer to him as the King.

He was a footballer that stayed very Brazilian, playing for Santos for many years rather than playing for clubs abroad. In fact, president Janio Quadros in 1961 even declared him a national treasure, which meant for years he couldn't be "exported" to play for clubs abroad, such was his hero status and importance for national pride.

In a country where racism and classism are still so dominant, Pele, a black footballer from a poor background, was an incredible success story. He rarely talked about racism, a stance that he was at times criticised for. But he always championed the power of football to bring the nation together, to give opportunities to even the poorest Brazilians.

Pele was also known to keep his head down when it came to politics. Again, many felt that was a weak position given his huge influence - and of course the turbulent politics that he lived through - including a dictatorship. But in a country that has once again become increasingly divided when it comes to politics, this silence also allowed him to transcend politics, to be loved and respected universally as the King of all Brazilians, both on and off the field.

The greatest footballer of all time has now gone, but his memory here in Brazil will remain forever.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×