Before Pele, "10" was just a number.
I read that phrase somewhere, at some point in my life.
But that phrase, beautiful, is incomplete.
I'd say before Pele, football was just a sport.
Pele changed everything.
He turned football into art, into entertainment.
He gave voice to the poor, to the blacks and especially:
It gave visibility to Brazil.
Football and Brazil have elevated their status thanks to the King!
He's gone, but his magic will remain.
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Brazil captain THIAGO SILVA, on Instagram
Rest in peace 'Rei', God bless all his family"
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Argentina's World Cup winner LIONEL MESSI Messi posted a picture on Instagram of him with Pele with the message: "Rest in peace, @pele."
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CRISTIANO RONALDO posted a picture of him receiving an award from Pele and wrote: "My deepest condolences to all of Brazil, and in particular to the family of Mr. Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
"A mere "goodbye" to the eternal King Pele will never be enough to express the pain that currently embraces the entire world of football.
"An inspiration for so many millions, a reference from yesterday, today, forever. The affection he always showed for me was reciprocal in every moment we shared, even from a distance.
"He will never be forgotten and his memory will live on forever in each of us football lovers. Rest in peace, King Pele."
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"The king of football has left us, but his legacy will never be forgotten," French star KYLIAN MBAPPE said on Twitter, posting a black and white photo of himself together with Pelé.
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