Edson Arantes do Nascimento better known as Brazilian and world football legend Pele has died at the age of 82.

Pele’s daughter Kely Nascimento, who has been keeping the public abreast on her father’s condition with regular social media updates from the hospital, shared a chilling post of his passing on Thursday.

She posted a picture of what appeared to be Pele’s family’s hands on his body in the hospital and wrote: “Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.”

Pele’s official Twitter account later a similar confirmatory posting of the football icon’s transition: “Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love and love, forever.”

The Sao Paulo hospital where he had been receiving treatment confirmed that Pele died “due to the failure of multiple organs, a result of the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous clinical condition”.

News of his passing come under a month following his admission to the facility, which had then sparked reports of his rapidly declining health.

 His social media account had initially dismissed such reports days later.

 However, during the past week, his daughter had shared and emotionally gripping images of herself at his bedside while he slept which gave a feeling of resignation to the idea that the end is near.

According to reports Pele had surgery to remove a tumor from his colon in September 2021 at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, after the tumor was detected in routine tests, before his readmission in November.

The Brazilian Football Confederation said: “Pele was much more than the greatest sportsperson of all time.

“Our king of football was the greatest exponent of a victorious Brazil, who was never afraid when faced with difficulty. He promised his father a World Cup and he presented us with three.

“The King gave us a new Brazil and we are so thankful for his legacy. Thank you, Pele.”

He is credited with scoring a world record of 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances during his playing career which spanned 21 years. He is also Brazil’s joint-leading scorer with 77 goals in 92 matches for his country.

Pele is also the only player to have won the World Cup three times, lifting the trophy in 1958, 1962, and 1970 The Brazil icon was named FIFA’s Player of the Century in 2000.