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the Wembley arch has been illuminated with Brazilian colors in homage to Pele .
Arguably the greatest footballer of all time, he is the only player to have lifted the World Cup three times, winning the sport’s biggest prize in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Pelé has faced health problems in recent years and spent Christmas in hospital after being readmitted in late November.
The 82-year-old man died Thursday. “due to the failure of multiple organs, a consequence of the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous clinical condition,” according to a statement from the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo.
On Thursday night the Wembley arch was dyed yellow and green in his memory, as football mourned a true icon.
In 2018, Pelé tweeted: “I don’t have many regrets as a footballer, but I wish I could have played at Wembley, even once, even in a friendly.”
Tributes have come since the news of Pele’s death with messages posted on social media from current stars like Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo .
Brazil current number of 10 neymar paid tribute to that jersey’s most famous owner, posting an emotional tribute to “the king” on Instagram.
Pelé with the World Cup in 2015
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Pelé with the World Cup in Mexico City, 1970. Pelé scored the first of his team’s goals in the match
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Pelé shoots a goal against Czechoslovakia in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico
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Pele dribbles past Italian defender Tarcisio Burgnich during the World Cup final on June 21, 1970 in Mexico City. Pelé scored the first goal for his team as Brazil beat Italy 4-1 to capture their third world title after 1958 (in Sweden) and 1962 (in Chile).
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the brazilian forward peeled
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Brazilian striker Pelé dribbles past a defender during a friendly match against Malmoe in 1960
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Pelé as a goalkeeper during training in 1963
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Pelé next to a screen to celebrate his professional goal number 1000 in 1969
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Pelé hugs Brazilian goalkeeper Ado at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City after Brazil beat Italy 4-1 to win the 1970 World Cup
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Brazilian soccer legend Pelé in a match against England during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Brazil won 1-0
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Brazilian soccer player Pelé surrounded by the press in 1971 when he arrives at Orly airport, Paris, he is with Secretary of State Jacques Baumel.
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Pele holds up the Jules Rimet Cup after Brazil beat Italy 4-1 in the 1970 World Cup final in Mexico
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Pelé, the famous Brazilian soccer player, gives the go-ahead in 1971 during a press conference in Paris for an exhibition match.
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Brazilian soccer star Pele outfits himself with French fashion designer Renoma
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Pele with George Best in 1987
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Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, plays the ball during a friendly soccer match to celebrate his 50th birthday in 1990
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Pele scores the equalizing goal for Allied POWs during the match against Germany in Paris featured on the set of ‘Escape to Victory’
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Pelé of Brazil in action during a training session in 1980
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Pelé at the Cannes International Film Festival in 1981
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Brazilian soccer player Pele lined up for the New York Cosmos in 1997
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Pele carries the Olympic Flame inside the Maracena Stadium during the tenth day of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay
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England goalkeeper, former international footballer, Gordon Banks (left) with a photo of his famous save on Brazilian striker Pelé in 2004
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Edson Arantes do Nacimento, known as Pele, talks with Austrian team head coach Josef Hickersberger (C) and Austrian soccer federation president Friedrich Stickler December 1, 2006 during his visit to the sports festival in vienna in austria
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Pelé with Nelson Mandela and Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o in 2007
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Cristiano Ronaldo receives congratulations from Brazilian soccer legend Pele after receiving the 2008 FIFA World Soccer Player of the Year award January 12, 2009 in Zurich.
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Brazilian soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as ‘Pele’, poses with his six Brazilian champion medals December 22, 2010 during a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro.
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Wayne Rooney receiving the FIFA/FIFPro World XI award from Brazilian soccer legend Pelé in 2012
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Pelé with Romeo, Cruz and Brooklyn Beckham with Pelé in 2014
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Brazilian soccer legend Pele answers questions from journalists next to the FIFA World Cup trophy during a news conference, March 9, 2014, in front of the Hotel de Ville in Paris.
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Pele with former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly (L) at a news conference in Kolkata on October 12, 2015.
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Diego Maradona and Pele pose after a soccer match hosted by Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot at the Jardin du Palais Royal in Paris on June 9, 2016.
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Pele, uses a walker to stand on stage, during the opening event of the 2018 Carioca Soccer Championship at Cidade das Artes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 15, 2018.
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Pele speaks with Robbie Keane and Gianluca Zambrotta in the Dubai Opera Gardens before a friendly soccer match in Dubai on April 15, 2018.
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Brazilian soccer great Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, arrives at Guarulhos International Airport, in Guarulhos, some 25 km from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2019.
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Pele in 2021
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“Before Pelé, ’10’ was just a number,” wrote Neymar. “I read this sentence somewhere, at some point in my life.
“But this sentence, beautiful, is incomplete. I would say that before Pele, soccer was just a sport.
“Pele changed everything. He turned football into art, into entertainment. He gave a voice to the poor, to the blacks, and most importantly: he gave visibility to Brazil.
“Football and Brazil raised their status thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic will remain.
Pele is eternal!!” .