The legendary Brazilian football player and three-time World Cup winner, Pelé, has died at the age of 82.

Pelé, who had a tumour removed from his colon last year, passed away in a Sao Paulo hospital, his agent said.

Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein hospital, where Pele was undergoing treatment, said he died at 3:27pm (18:27 GMT) on Thursday “due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition.”

After being admitted back into the hospital at the end of November to re-evaluate his cancer treatment, he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection before subsequently being moved to palliative care when his body became unresponsive to chemotherapy.

His daughter, Kely Nascimento, confirmed the news on Instagram, writing, “Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.”

Pelé, whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was remembered for his wide-ranging accomplishments, both on and off the football field.

He made his international debut at the age of 16 and announced himself to a global audience in 1958, when, still only 17, he scored six goals in four games as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time. He scored twice in a 5-2 final win over Sweden in Stockholm.

Pelé won the World Cup on two more occasions, in 1962 and 1970, when the Selecao produced debatably the greatest final performance in the competition’s history, defeating Italy 4-1 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico. Pele won the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player.

It is on record that Pelé scored 757 goals in 831 games during a glittering career from 1957 to 1977, although his long-time club Santos claim his tally was closer to 1,000.

A public funeral is set to be held outside Sao Paulo, Brazil, at the Vila Belmiro Stadium, where he played for many years with the Santos football club. The casket is set to pass in front of the house of his 100-year-old mother, Celeste Arantes, before being placed in the center of the field.

The public will be able to pay their respects there on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

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