Soccer’s most iconic player, Pelé, a three-time World Cup winner, passed away on Thursday due to cancer and a respiratory infection, Britain’s The Times newspaper reported on its website.
'Pelé was a great sportsman and a magnificent human being': Polish PM
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Facebook on Thursday evening: “It’s a sad day for the whole footballing world. Edson Arantes do Nascimento - Pelé, has died at the age of 82.”
Morawiecki added: “Pelé scored hundreds of goals in his career, but those crucial games, when he led Brazil to three World Cups, will be remembered forever by football fans.”
He described Pelé as “a role model for young sportsmen.”
He went on to say: “Johan Cruyff said that Pelé was above all ‘the only player who defied logic.’ We are bidding farewell to a great sportsman and a magnificent human being. R.I.P. Rest in Peace!”
'Heaven has a new star': Poland's Lewandowski
Meanwhile, Poland’s star striker Robert Lewandowski also paid tribute to Pelé, saying in a tweet: “Rest in peace Champion.”
The Barcelona forward added: “Heaven has a new star, and the football world lost a hero.”
'Pelé was special'
Włodzimierz Lubański, one of Poland’s best-ever forwards and a 1972 Olympic champion, said: “Pelé is the history of football. One of the youngest players to score goals at the World Cup and to win it. He was special.”
Lubański added that Pelé had been “an inspiration to young people” around the world.
“I watched Pelé, I watched his movements, the way he controlled the ball, the way he struck it, and I tried to emulate him,” the former Górnik Zabrze striker told Polish state news agency PAP.
Lubański played against Pelé in 1966, when Poland lost 1-2 to Brazil in a friendly at Rio de Janeiro’s famous Maracanã stadium.
“The very thought that you were playing against Pelé gave you a fantastic feeling,” Lubański said.
Centre-back Stanisław Oślizło, who marked Pelé in that 1966 game, told reporters: “Pelé is rightly considered to be the greatest footballer of all time. He was also a very likeable man.”
Oślizło added he felt “great sadness” at Pelé’s passing.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, polskieradio.pl, i.pl, fourfourtwo.com, thetimes.co.uk
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.