Less than a fortnight after fans celebrated Lionel Messi lifting the World Cup in Qatar, the soccer world is mourning the passing of a legend. On 29 December 2022, amid worldwide celebrations of Argentina’s victory over France in the World Cup Finals, the ‘King of Football’ Pelé passed away. Since then, the world has been grieving the tragic passing of the football legend. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has joined many familiar names like Sylvester Stallone, Will Smith, and Barack Obama, among others, to grieve the heartbreaking loss of the sports community.

Before Johnson arrived and dominated the NBA in the 80s, Pelé had already retired as a living legend after an illustrious career. The Brazilian is the only player in history to lift three World cups. Moreover, apart from international glory, he also had a Hall of Fame club career, scoring 762 club goals across competitions. Apart from gis on-the-pitch accomplishments, Pelé left a mark on the football world with his larger-than-life personality, inspiring generations of players after him.

Magic Johnson mourns the passing of Pelé

5x NBA champion and Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson recently took to his social media to mourn the passing of the football legend. He tweeted, “The world is mourning the passing of the legendary fútbol/soccer player Pelé. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who loved him; his family, friends, former teammates, and soccer fans from around the world.”

Moreover, he further paid his respects to the 3x World Cup winner by honoring his legacy in a subsequent tweet. “The greatest soccer player to ever live, Pelé was a driving force behind expanding the sport’s popularity around the world. He opened the door for athlete endorsements globally and influenced generations of superstars that are known by one name.”

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Johnson also shared a photo of himself with Pelé at a soccer match in Brazil.

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Heartfelt messages for the Brazilian legend resonate around the world

Many high-profile names from different walks of life grieved the tragic demise of the soccer icon alongside Johnson this past week. The 44th POTUS, Barack Obama, led the world leaders in sending his condolences. Obama shared a pic of himself with Pelé and honored his legacy in the caption.

Similarly, President Joe Biden also paid tribute to the late Brazilian icon.

Among Hollywood stars, actor Will Smith posted a pic with Pele and wrote: “The greatest to ever do it. Descanse em paz, Rei Pelé,” which translates to rest in peace.

Similarly, Rocky Balboa star Sylvester Stallone, who developed an interest in soccer after watching the Brazilian legend, shared a black-and-white picture with Pelé with the caption, “PELE THE GREAT! Rest in peace! This was a good man.”

Watch the Story – “Goodbye to the eternal king”: Sports world mourn the loss of Pelé

The Brazilian legend passed away at 82 while battling colon cancer. However, even after almost half a century since his retirement, many fans still consider him the greatest of all time.