Former Brazilian international Zico paid tribute to the late Pele, saying his legacy in football “remains forever”.
Pelé, a three-time World Cup winner, was transferred to palliative care in early December after his body stopped responding to cancer treatment. His death was announced on Thursday.
Tributes have fallen on the football icon after he left an indelible legacy to Brazil and Santos, for whom he scored 643 goals in 659 matches over an 18-year period.
Zico, who played 71 times for Brazil between 1976 and 1986, paid tribute by saying: “Today is a very sad day for Brazilian football and for world football. We have lost our king.
REY PELE pic.twitter.com/epP8zZHRYr
— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) December 29, 2022
“May Edson Arantes do Nascimento rest in peace, but King Pele will remain forever. I just have to say thank you so much for all the lessons, I learned a lot about football thanks to his sticker album.
“This is a guy that we are proud to be Brazilians, especially us, in the field of football, for everything he represented, for everything he did for the benefit of Brazilian football, all the changes, all the references.
So, king, rest in peace. You have done everything that was possible in football. Brazil is losing its king, but his work will remain forever.”