Players of the English Premier League and English Football League fashioned black armbands before Friday’s game to honor Football’s Legend Pele.
The Universe of football lost a gem and the ‘greatest’ player to embrace the game. It came as a shock to all. His treatment of cancer was in the open. However, nobody wanted the legend to be gone.
His passing away has shaken the kingdom of football, and every player and fan is paying their respect to him.
O Rei, or The King as Pele was synonymous, was the most famous athlete on the planet.
Pele: Honored in the Premier League
In the Premier League, before the game between West Ham and Brentford began, they showed the iconic image of Pele on the big screen at the stadium.
Before the next match, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson and club captain Jordan Henderson placed flowers in the central circle at Anfield before their match with Leicester City.
All the 10 games this week in the Premier League have plans to honor the Legend in similar manners.
Footballers in the English Football League wore black armbands and applauded for a minute to pay their tribute. Other clubs in the league will follow in the coming fixtures.
Tribute by the Others
All loved and revered Pele in the Football world. Therefore, tributes poured in from all corners of the earth.
FIFA, the world football governing body, lowered its flag at Switzerland to half-mast to symbolize mourning and respect for the Brazilian.
The Italian Football Federation announced it has arranged for a minute’s silence in all their games to honor Pele. The contribution and brilliance of Pele will also see recognition by the Spanish and French League during the weekend.
Gesture Of AIFF
The All-India Football Federation has declared seven days of mourning in the honor of Pele. The King had visited the Indian continent more than once.
The first visit was in 1977 when New York Cosmos drew 2-2 against Mohan Bagan at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Pele had played against Mohan Bagan at the height of his career.
In Kolkata, three rival clubs put aside their differences and came together to mourn the loss of football’s greatest. Mohan Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting club lowered their flags at half-mast to pay their tribute.
India was dear to Pele, and he wanted Indian football to grow and develop. Though Pele was a Brazilian, the entire world adopted him and he left the beauty of his game on the entire world.
Words of honor by Premier League Players and Managers
Alisson Becker spoke to BBC sports after the game with Leicester.
He said “There is a lot of talk about who was the best and who is the best, but for us he is the best of all time. What he did on the pitch reflected the nation, he put the Brazilian flag at the highest standard, not just him but his team-mates as well.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Pele made football ‘a better place’ by giving people an emotional connection with the beautiful game.
Guardiola also stressed on the fact that what Pele has done to football, there is no other event in the world. Such are the qualities of players like Pele.
Former Chelsea player and now Everton Manager Frank Lampard said “The reach of his game was huge and has stayed. That name will continue forever more. It’s a sad day for football.”
Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, was of the opinion that Pele was probably the most complete player that the game has ever seen, and his death was an enormous loss.
