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Pele dies: ´Football is in mourning´ – former team-mate Pepe pays tribute to late Brazil star

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Former Brazil and Santos striker Pepe paid tribute to former teammate Pelé and the “eternal memory of the greatest footballer” after his death at the age of 82.

The three-time World Cup winner passed away on Thursday after battling colon cancer, leaving the football world in mourning.

As the Sélesão star’s club and country teammate between 1956 and 1969, Santos striker Pepe played more than 700 games with Pelé during his career.

The couple lifted the Jules Rimet trophy together in 1958 and 1962, and now the 87-year-old has paid his respects to his late compatriot.

“The whole world knew about the severity of Pele’s illness,” Pepe said. “But basically we, the closest and dearest, had more contact with him and his family.

“We hoped that the disease would be cured, and the “King of the Prom”, the greatest of all, would return with his happy smile and always good mood.

“But it was impossible. Pele left us, and with him [goes] eternal memory of the greatest football player of all time. Rest in peace King Pele, my great friend. Football in mourning.

In a 21-year career, Pelé spent most of his club football at Santos, for which he scored 643 goals in 659 games before moving to the New York Cosmos.

His tally of 77 international goals for Brazil remains a record matched only by current Selecao striker Neymar, while no other man has matched his record of three world titles.

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