“The king does not die, he rests” … the whole world mourns for Pele

Like a symbol. More than a symbol. Santos, his club from 1956 to … 1974, was one of the first to react. But this Thursday evening, shortly after 8 p.m., he did not post the photo, as millions of people on social media were about to do. Santos settled for a simple but powerful image to welcome Pele, who has passed away at the age of 82: his royal crown, set against a black background, illuminated by a halo of light and simply signed: “eternal.”

The football world and not only reacted quickly. In the age of social media, messages come from all over the world, often in a beautiful and touching way.

So often comparing Pelé in recent weeks during the World Cup, Kylian Mbapp spoke to someone he met in Paris in April 2019. “RIP King,” he said in English below the black and white photo of the Brazilian. “The king of football has left us, but his legacy will never be forgotten,” writes the PSG striker.

Naturally, Neymar, another child of Santos, also posted strong words: “Before Pele, 10 was just a number. I read this phrase somewhere, at some point in my life. But this proposal, beautiful, is incomplete. I would say that before Pele football 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 above all: he made Brazil visible. Football and Brazil have risen thanks to the king! He left, but his magic remained. »

Messi, Thiago Silva, Deschamps, Romario, Gerson…

World champion Lionel Messi, who is currently on vacation in Argentina, was pleased with “Rest in Peace”. This is not the case for Cristiano Ronaldo, who paid tribute to Pele on Instagram: “My most sincere condolences to all of Brazil and in particular to the family of Mr. Edson Arantes do Nascimento. A simple farewell to the Eternal King will never be enough to express the pain that is now gripping everyone in football. An inspiration for so many millions of people, a link to yesterday, today, forever. The love he always showed me was mutual in every moment we shared, even at a distance. He will never be forgotten, and his memory will forever remain in the memory of all of us football fans. »

Very touched, all generations of Brazilian players took part in the tribute. “You changed the history of football and it will always live on in our hearts. Thank you for everything,” wrote Thiago Silva, captain of the Selesao. Romário, world champion in 1994, emphasizes: “Today, Brazil says goodbye to one of its most illustrious sons: Pele, the king of football. Chosen as the athlete of the century, Edson Arantes do Nascimento bowed the world to his talent by placing Brazilian football on the altar of the gods. »

Another touching tribute to Gerson de Oliveira Nuñez, who lifted the 1970 World Cup with him: “The king does not die, he just rests. I had the honor of playing with Pele and against him too. A true genius, one of the few I knew. He has enchanted the whole world with his unique football, worthy of all the awards and trophies he has won during his brilliant years of playing football and his unparalleled trajectory in the sport. His great work, his sensational goals, his great vision of the game will surely last forever. I sincerely thank you, Pele, for everything you have done for Brazilian and world football. May the king rest in peace and God bless his friends, family and millions of fans. »

In France, the reaction of Didier Deschamps is also strong and full of nostalgia: “With the disappearance of Pele, football is losing one of its most beautiful legends, if not the most beautiful. Like all legends, the king seemed immortal. It made people dream and went on to create generations and generations of fans of our sport. Who hasn’t dreamed of being Pele as a child? With his number 10, he put his technical virtuosity, his courage, his creativity at the service of his teams and, in particular, Brazil, with whom he won three world championships. Pele was a union of beauty and efficiency. His talent and his track record will forever remain in our memory. To his family, his loved ones and the Brazilian people, I express my sincere condolences and all my sympathy. The king will remain king forever. »

“The most divine of footballers and the happiest of people”

The Englishman Gary Lineker has not forgotten the company of Pele, “the most divine of footballers and the happiest of men.” He adds: “He was playing a game that only a select few were up to. Three times he lifted the most coveted golden trophy in that fine yellow shirt. Even though he left us, he will always have football immortality. »

At BFM, Alain Giresse emphasized that Pelé was “the first player to bring a superb technical dimension with never-before-seen gestures that he invented, that’s what made his magic, like this closeness he had at the popular level.” “Gigi” remembered the presence of the Brazilian at the anniversary of Michel Platini. “It was a privilege for me to approach it that way, with all the simplicity,” he says. Despite the fact that he has great players behind him, Messi, Maradona, Platini, Cruyff and others, he will always have a special status, and something else. It was the flag bearer of football in the greatest dimension. »

On Twitter, Rolland Courbis shared this widespread impression: “I thought he was immortal! Outside of football, Usain Bolt was considered a “legend of the sport”. Rafael Nadal called “a sad day for the sports world”.