'Extraordinarily gifted footballer': Barack Obama, NASA and football figures unite to mourn GOAT Pele

Pele, arguably the greatest football player in history, died at the age of 82. Pele had experienced kidney and prostate problems recently.

Pele underwent surgery to have the colonic tumour removed in September 2021 at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo after it was discovered during normal exams. In late November 2022, he was admitted to the hospital once more.

Kely Nascimento, his daughter, frequently shared updates about her father's condition on social media from the hospital.

In her tweet on Thursday, she wrote: "Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace."

Not just football, Pele transcended the sport and was respected and appreciated by all. Following the news of the player's demise, sporting stars around the globe paid tribute to the legend of the game. 

Legendary sprinter Usain Bolt took to Twitter to pay his tribute.

France star Kylian Mbappe has paid tribute to Pele, saying his legacy will never be forgotten. He had recently broken Pele's record for the most goals in the FIFA World Cup scored by a player aged under 24 in Qatar earlier this month.

Former US President Barack Obama claims that Pele, one of the most well-known athletes in history, recognised the ability of sports to bring people together.

NASA also joined to the tributes to Pele by publishing a photo of a spiral galaxy in the constellation Sculptor that displays the national colours of Brazil.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Neymar in a tribute to his country's greatest sporting icon. 

Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina's World Cup-winning team, posted pictures of himself and "The King" from happier occasions to Instagram to say Brazilian football legend Pele farewell.

Along with a lengthy Instagram post and a picture of himself with the Brazilian superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo also paid respect to Pele.

Pele is credited with scoring a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 career appearances. He is the only man to have won the World Cup three times - in 1958, 1962 and 1970.