[Curiosities] King Mohammed VI: Pele Helped Make Football a Symbol of Peace, Coexistence

[BirSaNN]

The King said Pele had a ”great esteem for Morocco.”

Rabat - King Mohammed VI sent a message of condolences and compassion to the family of Brazilian football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pele.

In the message, the monarch said he learned about Pele’s death “with deep sorrow,” stressing that the world has lost one of the best and most talented soccer players.

“Pele was loved and admired around the world and helped make football a symbol of peace, coexistence and understanding between different peoples and cultures,” the King added.

The King recalled his sincere condolences to the family of the legendary footballer, emphasizing that Pele had “great esteem for Morocco, a country that keeps the memory of his visit in 1976 with his club Santos FC.”

Pele died on Thursday at the age of 82 after a long battle against cancer. The footballer’s death caused mourning in the football world, with several leagues and teams holding moments of silence in his honor and wearing black armbands. 

US President Joe Biden also joined in, paying a tribute to the iconic football player who helped po[CENSORED]rize the sport in the US.

Brazil’s then-president Jair Bolsonaro announced three days of national mourning  on Friday.

Many of the sport’s top talents, as well as its governing body FIFA also mourned the legendary football player.

“Since the news was confirmed, the world of football has been united in their sadness and in sharing their memories and love of a man who was simply named ‘O Rei’ – The King,” FIFA said of Pele's death.

Pele is the only player in history to have won three World Cups, and is regarded as the highest-scoring player in the history of the game.

link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/01/353322/king-mohammed-vi-pele-helped-make-football-a-symbol-of-peace-coexistence