Pele Is Gone – Buhari Mourns Brazil Legend, Says The World Will Never Forget Him

In a press release dated Thursday, December 29, President Muhammadu Buhari mourned Brazil football legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele.

Naija News reports that Pele died yesterday at age 82 after battling colon cancer for weeks.

Pele had been receiving needed medical treatment since the situation became worst but eventually passed out yesterday, days after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which Argentina won.

Joining a host of other world leaders, footballers, concerned persons and countrymen in mourning, President Buhari, in a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described Pele as one whom the world will never forget for his contributions to the game.

The Nigerian leader’s condolence message reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari joins world leaders in expressing grief over the death of Brazilian soccer legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pele who died on Thursday.

“The world’s greatest ever football player succumbed to death after suffering a debilitating bout of cancer. He won three World Cups and scored over 1,281 goals, becoming the original football icon in a long career for which he was named the “Player of the Century” in the year 2000.”

In a tribute to the football legend on behalf of all Nigerians, President Buhari said, “May he rest in peace. He led a good life and made a huge contribution to the development of global football in particular and world sport in general.

“He had an enormous generousity of spirit and humility despite his greatness as a footballer and sportsman. He also built bridges across nations, races and even religions. He was a UN Ambassador of goodwill. Pele is gone but the world will never forget him. RIP. “