By Stephen Asante
Accra, Dec. 31, GNA – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has eulogised the late Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as ‘Pele’, saying: “There will never be another like him.”
“He used his towering status to be an advocate for the poor, for children, for young people, for black people, and to be an inspiration to several generations of footballers.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace with the blessings of the Almighty,” the President said, in a tribute to the late football icon on his Twitter page.
A message from Pele’s official Twitter account confirming his death on Thursday (December 29, 2022), read: “Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love and love, forever.”
Three days of mourning for the late football icon, who died at the age of 82, have been declared by the Brazilian government.
Born to a poor family in Sao Paulo, Pele won the 1958, 1962 and 1970 FIFA World Cups with Brazil – the only player in history to have achieved that feat.
President Nana Akufo-Addo said: “Those of us who had the privilege to witness his incomparable career will cherish forever the memories of skill, talent, determination, and sheer athletism which we derived from his playing of the game he himself described as the beautiful game.”
He, on behalf of the Ghanaian people, expressed condolences and sympathies to the family of the late football icon, the Brazilian people, the Brazilian government, and football and sports lovers the world over.
“The whole world of sports is poorer today for the loss of one of its greatest figures, certainly its greatest soccer player, with the departure to Heaven of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, the iconic, legendary Pele,” President Nana Akufo-Addo noted.
The ‘SkySports’ reports that the late Pele became an icon of the game after winning the World Cup in 1958 as a 17-year-old, netting twice in the final to defeat hosts Sweden.
Brazil’s football association (CBF) and Santos, the idol club of the legendary Pele, say he scored a total of 1, 283 goals in 1, 367 matches while FIFA puts the figure at 1, 281 goals in 1, 366 games.
GNA