Sports

Pelé, the Global Face of Soccer, Dies at 82

Published

2 years ago

December 29, 2022

Pelé, one of soccer’s greatest players and a transformative figure in 20th-century sports who achieved a level of global celebrity few athletes have known, died on Thursday in São Paulo. He was 82.

His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by his manager, Joe Fraga.

A national hero in his native Brazil, Pelé was beloved around the world — by the very poor, among whom he was raised; the very rich, in whose circles he traveled; and just about everyone who ever saw him play.

“Pelé is one of the few who contradicted my theory,” Andy Warhol once said. “Instead of 15 minutes of fame, he will have 15 centuries.”

He won three World Cup tournaments with Brazil and 10 league titles with Santos, his club team, as well as the 1977 North American Soccer League championship with the New York Cosmos. Having come out of retirement at 34, he spent three seasons with the Cosmos on a crusade to popularize soccer in the United States.

Before his final game, in October 1977 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Pelé took the microphone on a podium at the center of the field, his father and Muhammad Ali beside him, and exhorted a crowd of more than 75,000.

“Say with me three times now,” he declared, “for the kids: Love! Love! Love!”

Sports

EPL: Can’t cry about it — Arteta on Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Fulham

Published

4 days ago

December 8, 2024

Seyi Babalola

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said they cannot “cry about” the 1-1 draw at Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Arteta, however, insisted his team deserved to take all three points.

Raul Jimenez opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half before William Saliba levelled in the 52nd minute.

Speaking after the match, Arteta said: “Gutted that we didn’t win it. We fully deserved to win it. That’s the quality of the opposition, so you cannot cry about it. We generated all the chances but it’s so difficult to attack.”

Arsenal had 70 per cent possession and VAR denied Bukayo Saka what would have been a late winner.

Sports

EPL: ‘We started badly’ – Amorim on Man Utd’s 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest

Published

5 days ago

December 7, 2024

Seyi Babalola

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has admitted his team did not do enough to beat Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Red Devils suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time under Amorim, losing 3-2 to Nuno Espirito Santo’s men.

Goals from Nikola Milenkovic, Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood moved Forest up to fifth place, with Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes getting on the scoresheet for United.

The result leaves United in 13th place, 10 points above relegation places.

Amorim, speaking with BBC Sport, said: “Tough game. We started really bad. The first play we suffered a goal and then it’s hard to try to fight. We then controlled the game and had a lot of situations.

“We improved the movement in the last third. We managed to draw the game and then, at halftime, we were ready to go for the win and then started really bad. Two goals. Then we tried a lot of things with not a lot of quality.

“We didn’t have many situations to score. Tough game in a tough moment but we have to continue the job.”