Pele and Just Fontaine, Photo by Jerome Domain/ABACAPRESS.COM, Image by Icon Sport
Brazilian legend Pele continues to inspire generations of football fans around the world, even after his death. Four months after his death following a battle with cancer, his fans have led a campaign to honor his legacy.
This campaign led to the adjective “pelé” being added to the Portuguese dictionary, where it is now used to describe an “extraordinary” person. Michaelis’ dictionary has more than 125,000 signatures, attesting to Pele’s enduring influence on the world of sport and beyond.
For the 265 million Portuguese speakers worldwide, the word “pelé” can now be used informally to refer to an unusual thing or person. The definition of an adjective is “one who is extraordinary, or who, by reason of his quality, value, or superiority, cannot be compared with anything or anyone, such as Pele.” This definition reflects the qualities that Pele embodies in the minds of football fans around the world: strength, determination, grace and passion.
The ‘King’ of Football, as he was affectionately known, is considered the greatest athlete of all time. He won the World Cup three times with the Brazilian national team and scored more than 1,000 goals throughout his career. But he wasn’t just an exceptional footballer. He has also been an ambassador for peace, social justice and education. The mission of his foundation, the Pele Foundation, is to promote education and social development in developing countries, using football as a tool for social transformation.
Pele’s death in December 2022 at the age of 82 was a loss to the world of sport and to all those affected by his charismatic personality and passion for life. But his legacy will live on thanks to this new entry in the Portuguese dictionary. Pele fans will continue to celebrate him as a symbol of excellence, design and inspiration for generations to come.
