CELEBRITY
‘You made us happy, even your opponents’: Global media celebrate Pele
Brazilian daily O Globo ran a commemorative four-cover edition highlighting Pele’s career with the headline “Pele Eterno” while publications around the world packed their pages on Friday with tributes to the icon who died after a long battle with cancer.
Pele, who rose from poverty to become one of the greatest athletes in modern history, passed away on Thursday aged 82 as the only man to win three World Cups as a player, sending soccer fans from his nation and the world into mourning.
Britain’s Guardian newspaper had an image of an overjoyed Pele on the shoulders of team mates and fans after Brazil’s 1970 World Cup win in Mexico, with reporter Richard Williams describing him as the “first global football superstar.”
“More than that, along with Muhammad Ali and Bob Marley he became one of a select group of black sportsmen and entertainers who transcended their field of expertise and achieved global renown in the 20th century, with a status only half a rung below Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela,” Williams wrote.
In the Daily Mail, Jeff Powell wrote “Pele was a cut jewel – sharp-edged, glittering and flawless.”
French sports daily L’Equipe switched its headline colours to reflect the green and yellow of Brazil, with a picture of a young Pele adorning its cover. It also had the words “Pele. He was a King.”
Alfred Draxler wrote in the German tabloid Bild that Pele was better than Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo combined.
In the homeland of Maradona and Messi, Argentine newspaper Clarin said, “he was taken off the pitch but never from popular memory, which, for some time now, has been building the mausoleum he deserves.
“Farewell Pele. You made us happy, even your opponents.”
Spain’s El Pais said on its front page: “Goodbye to Pele, ‘the king’ of football” with a picture of him celebrating the 1970 World Cup triumph.
In the United States, where Pele played for the New York Cosmos, the New York Times ran the headline: “Pele, a Name That Became Shorthand for Perfection.”
In the Times of India, reporter Gautam Bhattacharyya wrote of an exhibition match that Pele played in Kolkata in 1977, saying, “the city probably fell in love with Brazil because it saw the magic of Pele.”
-Reuters
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON6 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON7 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON6 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
AFCON2 days ago
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!