Pelé, the iconic football legend who passed away in December 2020 at the age of 82, has now been officially recognized as a term that embodies excellence, incomparability, and uniqueness.
The Michaelis dictionary, a renowned Portuguese-language dictionary in Brazil, has added the word “pelé” as a new adjective to its online edition, following a successful campaign by the Pelé Foundation. The campaign aimed to honour the football star and received an overwhelming response with over 125,000 signatures. The word will also be added to the next print edition of the dictionary.
Pelé’s legacy in football is unparalleled. He remains the only player to have won the World Cup three times and is widely regarded as the greatest footballer in history. Throughout his illustrious career spanning two decades, he scored a remarkable 1,281 goals with Brazilian club Santos, Brazil’s national team, and the New York Cosmos. With this recent recognition by the Michaelis dictionary, Pelé’s impact on football and his influence on popular culture has been solidified.
