President Muhammadu Buhari has joined international leaders in mourning the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, a Brazilian soccer great who died on Thursday.
The world’s finest football player died after a long battle with cancer.
He won three World Cups and scored over 1,281 goals over his long career, earning him the title of “Player of the Century” in the year 2000.
In a tribute to the football hero on behalf of all Nigerians, Buhari said:
“May he rest in peace. He led a good life and made a huge contribution to the development of global football in particular and world sport in general.
“He had an enormous generousity of spirit and humility in spite his greatness as a footballer and sportsman.
”He also built bridges across nations, races and even religions. He was a UN Ambassador of goodwill. Pele is gone but the world will never forget him. RIP. “
