CELEBRITY
World leaders’ and sporting world’s reactions to the death of sports king, Pele
Brazil soccer great Pele died on Thursday aged 82 after a long battle with cancer. Following are reactions to his death from around the world:
NIGERIA PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI
“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 generosity of spirit and humility despite 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. “
U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
For a sport that brings the world together like no other, Pele’s rise from humble beginnings to soccer legend is a story of what is possible. Today, (first lady) Jill and I’s thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him.
ARGENTINA PRESIDENT ALBERTO FERNANDEZ
One of the greatest footballers in history has left us. We will always remember those years when Pele dazzled the world with his skills. A big hug to his family and to the people of Brazil who will carry him in their hearts.
FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
Pele was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game. And as one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together. Our thoughts are with his family and everyone who loved and admired him.
BOLIVIA PRESIDENT LUIS ARCE
Today the world lost a great soccer legend, Pele, whose example of perseverance and love for the sport transcends generations.
Thank you for lighting up the field with your talent. We send our condolences to his family and to the entire country of Brazil.
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON
The game. The king. Eternity.
MEXICAN PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR
May Pele rest in peace, the great footballer and humble teacher who surely influenced players like Ronaldinho with his example, who stated in February 2021: “My father told me that it was better to learn to control the ball barefoot in order to have sensitivity in my feet and I promised him that I would control that ball like no other, but what really happened was that he didn’t have the money to give me a pair of shoes.”
FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO
His legacy is impossible to summarise in words.
To his family and friends, to CBF (Brazilian football federation), to Brazil and to all football fans who loved him so much, I express my sincere condolences.
Today, we all mourn the loss of the physical presence of our dear Pele, but he achieved immortality a long time ago and therefore he will be with us for eternity.
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT THOMAS BACH
With Pele’s passing, the world has lost a great sporting icon. As I could experience myself, he was a true believer in the Olympic values and a proud carrier of the Olympic flame. It was a privilege to present the Olympic Order to him.
UEFA PRESIDENT ALEKSANDER CEFERIN
“He was the first global superstar of the game and, thanks to achievements on and off the field, he played a pioneering role in football’s rise to become the world’s most popular sport. He will be greatly missed.”
ACTOR SYLVESTER STALLONE, PELE’S CO-STAR IN “ESCAPE TO VICTORY”
Pele The Great! Rest in peace! This was a good man.
NEW YORK CITY FOOTBALL CLUB
Obrigado, Pele. No one did more for this sport here, and everywhere. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
ARGENTINA CAPTAIN LIONEL MESSI
Rest in peace, Pele.
GERMANY WORLD CUP WINNER FRANZ BECKENBAUER
Football lost the greatest in its history today – and I lost a unique friend. Football will be yours forever. Rest in peace Pele.
GARY LINEKER, 1986 WORLD CUP TOP SCORER
Pele has died. The most divine of footballers and joyous of men. He played a game only a few chosen ones have come close to. Three times he lifted the most coveted gold trophy in that beautiful yellow shirt. He may have left us but he’ll always have footballing immortality. RIP Pele
PORTUGAL STRIKER CRISTIANO RONALDO, ON INSTAGRAM
My deepest condolences to all of Brazil, and in particular to the family of Mr. Edson Arantes do Nascimento. A mere “goodbye” to the eternal King Pele will never be enough to express the pain that embraces the whole world of football at this moment. An inspiration for so many millions, a reference of yesterday, of today, of always.
FRANCE STRIKER KYLIAN MBAPPE, ON TWITTER
The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING …
FORMER ENGLAND PLAYER GEOFF HURST
I have so many memories of Pele, without doubt the best footballer I ever played against (with Bobby Moore being the best footballer I ever played alongside). For me Pele remains the greatest of all time and I was proud to be on the pitch with him. RIP Pele and thank you.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Rest in peace, Pele. Thank you for the joy you brought to football fans around the world.
LIVERPOOL
A legend, icon and true great of the game who will forever be remembered. Rest in peace, Pele.
REAL MADRID
Real Madrid C.F., its President and its Board of Directors deeply regret the death of world football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, one of the greatest players of all time.
Real Madrid would like to express its condolences to his family, his loved ones, his clubs, the Brazilian Confederation and all football fans in Brazil and around the world.
BARCELONA
Barca deeply regrets the death of “Rei” (King) Pele, one of the greatest players of all time. With him, football became greater. May he rest in peace.
WALES FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
Pele broke our hearts in 1958 to score his first World Cup goal to knock Cymru out. Today our hearts are broken again. A true sporting legend. Our thoughts are with the people of Brazil and the world football family.
ITALIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION PRESIDENT GABRIELE GRAVINA
“Millions of people recognised themselves in him in a beautiful story of redemption and great passion. The class of him will forever light up our eyes.”
UNESCO
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Pele. We extend our condolences to the Brazilian people and the football family. Pele was @UNESCO Champion for Sport since 1994 and worked relentlessly to promote sport as a tool for peace. He will be greatly missed.
ARGENTINA WORLD CUP WINNER OSVALDO ARDILES
The King of Kings has died. Extraordinary player. Unique. Three times World Cup winner, more than 1,000 goals. My idol when young. He made football the beautiful game and truly international. My time playing alongside him in Escape to Victory was a dream come true. RIP Pele.
FRANCE COACH DIDIER DESCHAMPS
With the passing of Pele, football has lost one of its most beautiful legends, if not the most beautiful. Like all legends, the King seemed immortal. It made people dream and continued to make generations and generations of fans of our sport.
FORMER ARGENTINA STRIKER GABRIEL BATISTUTA
Thank you for everything you gave to the world of football. RIP to a legend.
URUGUAY STRIKER LUIS SUAREZ
His legacy will be eternal. Rest in peace, king.
MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM ON INSTAGRAM
Today the world of football cries for the loss of O Rei. We say goodbye to a legend who will live eternally. Rest in peace, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele. One of the greatest players to ever do it.
FORMER ARGENTINA INTERNATIONAL CLAUDIO CANIGGIA
One of my biggest inspirations for playing football. Since I was a kid I admired him, like everyone who understands and loves this sport. Forever Pele.
MULTIPLE GRAND SLAM WINNER RAFA NADAL
A sad day for the world of football, for the world of sport. His legacy will always be with us. I didn’t see him play, I wasn’t that lucky, but I was always taught and told that he was the King of football.
MULTIPLE OLYMPIC SPRINT CHAMPION USAIN BOLT
A Sporting Legend. Rest in Peace King Pele.
U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN
Pele was a true legend; there was no one quite like him. But he also transcended the game and inspired generations on and off the field.
COLOMBIA PRESIDENT GUSTAVO PETRO
As a child I watched Pele at the World Cup on a black and white screen. My dad told me that he was the best soccer player in the world. Today I think my father was right.
MULTIPLE FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPION LEWIS HAMILTON
Lost a legend today. Thank you for sharing your talent, genius and love with us. @Pele’s legacy will inspire us forever and always.
STEFANO DOMENICALI, CEO OF FORMULA 1
He was a shining light for Brazil and millions around the world. His skill, smile and brilliance will live on forever.
FORMER TENNIS WORLD NUMBER ONE BILLIE JEAN KING
“Much of sports is entertainment for fans & Pele’s athleticism & skill made him globally known. I had the honor of spending time w/him. He was joyful & had that something special.”
Diego Maradona’s death “would have been avoided” if the medical team around him had done their job, his daughter Dalma accused on Tuesday at the trial of health professionals of the circumstances of the death of the Argentine football idol
Dalma, 38, the elder of Maradona’s two daughters with his ex-wife Claudia Villafañe, was a star witness on the 11th day of the trial in San Isidro (north of Buenos Aires). And like others since the start of the trial, she blamed the caregivers of her father’s final weeks and the framework of his convalescence.
” If they had done their job, (his death) would have been avoided,” Dalma said, referring to the medical team and in particular to three of the accused: attending physician and neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Diaz.
” They deceived us (the family) in the most cruel way (…) They made us believe that the only possible option was to convalesce at home after his operation, in a house that was rented for the occasion in Tigre (north of Buenos Aires),” Dalma said.
According to them, ” it would be a serious home hospitalisation,” Diego would have everything like in a clinic, but in a house,” with 24/7 medical attention, medical equipment, an ambulance at the door permanently, she continued.
” It never happened,” she said in a statement often interrupted by tears. In this “disgusting, piss-smelling ” house, a doctor only came to see him from time to time.”
Maradona died at the age of 60 on November 25, 2020, from a cardiorespiratory crisis complicated by pulmonary oedema, in this private residence, where he had been convalescing for two weeks after neurosurgery for a head hematoma.
Seven practitioners – doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses – are accused of “homicide with possible intent”, characterised when a person commits negligence while knowing that it can lead to death.
Mr. Luque, who was close to Maradona, ” was his primary care physician, and I didn’t think he was recommending something that wouldn’t be best for my father,” Dalma continued.
With his sister Gianinna ” we didn’t have much influence, we could say what we thought but didn’t decide anything .” Sometimes someone from the care team or from the entourage would say “that Dad was sleeping, sometimes that he didn’t want to see anyone,” that the best thing was not to disturb him. “
” In hindsight, we should have decided.”
Last Tuesday, Veronica Ojeda, ex-partner and mother of Maradona’s son born in 2013, testified that the star’s close entourage “kept him as if he were sequestered” in the last months of his life.
The practitioners on trial, who deny any responsibility for the death, are seeking sentences of 8 to 25 years in prison. The trial is expected to last until July, with one or two hearings per week.
–Le360 (with AFP)
Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava found out the hard way that there are consequences for seeking an autograph from eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup winner Lionel Messi — he was hit with a CONCACAF disciplinary sanction.
As the final whistle blew on Inter Miami’s 1-0 Champions Cup win over Sporting Kansas City, secured by a brilliant second-half goal from Messi, the referee known as ‘El Gato’ approached the Argentina international.
He appeared to be asking for the striker’s shirt to join the Messi-mania, but it turned out he was actually requesting an autograph for a relative with special needs.
Despite the heartfelt request, Ortiz’s actions did not comply with CONCACAF’s code of conduct for officials.
“Upon investigation, CONCACAF has learned that the referee approached the player to request an autograph for a family member with special needs,” the North American football governing body said in a statement to ESPN.
Although the exact nature of the disciplinary action was not disclosed, CONCACAF added that Ortiz accepted full responsibility for his actions and apologised for his breach of protocol.
The first leg of the premier continental tournament for clubs from North America, Central America and the Caribbean was initially postponed due to a winter storm warning in the area.
Inter Miami will host Sporting in the return leg at Chase Stadium on Tuesday.
“The referee’s actions were not in accordance with the confederation’s code of conduct for match officials and the procedures in place for these types of requests.”
Reuters
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The world’s top athletes don’t just dominate on the field—they lead the way financially, too.
From football icons to basketball superstars, these elite performers are earning staggering sums through salaries, endorsements, and off-field ventures.
Using data from Sportico, sportsunlimitednews breaks down the top 10 highest-paid athletes globally.
10. Jon Rahm
On December 2023, Jon Rahm announced he was joining LIV Golf after a very successful stint at the PGA, earning 11 PGA Tour wins since joining in 2016. Now signed under LIV Golf, the Spaniard is considered one of the best-paid athletes in the world, accumulating $85.6 (€82.3/£68.55) million in winnings and $20 (€19.2/£16) million on endorsement deals
9. Kylian Mbappe
Following his massive transfer to Real Madrid in 2024, Kylian Mbappe is now ranked the 9th highest-paid athlete in the world. The French forward earns $85 (€81.6/£68.9) million in salary and $25 (€24/£20) million in endorsements, totalling $110 (€105/£88) million—a ‘galactico’ price tag for one of the best players in the world.
8. Karim Benzema
Another former Real Madrid star, Karim Benzema is ranked amongst the top ten best-paid athletes in the world following his move to Al-Ittihad (Saudi Arabia). The French striker earns $108 (€103/£86.4) million alongside $8 (€7.6/£6.4) million in endorsements.
7. Oleksandr Usyk
Up next, we have an undisputed heavyweight champion, who took down Tyson Fury for a second time in 2024. Oleksandr Usyk is arguably one of the best fighters in the world right now, and his earnings reflect that. The Ukrainian makes an average of $120 (€115/£96) million in winnings alongside $2 (€1.9/£1.6) million on endorsements, standing on $122 (€117/£97.7) million.
6. Neymar Jr.
Neymar Jr. is in the final stages of his professional football career. The former Barcelona and PSG man has enjoyed a successful stint across multiple teams around the world. Now in Santos FC, the Brazilian star is still considered one of the highest-paid players in the world, earning a $108 (€103/£82) million salary and $25 (€24/£20) million in endorsements.
5. LeBron James
The Los Angeles Lakers veteran and NBA star is ranked fifth in the world following his jaw-dropping $85 (€81.6/£68.3) million endorsement deals with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Alongside his endorsements, he cashes in a salary of $48.2 (€46.3/£38.6) million a year.
4. Lionel Messi
The Inter Miami star has one of the most lucrative contracts in world football. The Argentinian forward earns $60 (€57.6/£48) million a year, alongside $75 (€72/£60) million on endorsement deals. He is linked to Louis Vuitton, Mastercard and Pepsi.
3. Tyson Fury
The ‘Gypsie King’ is ranked third in the world, despite his recent losses and retirement announcement in late 2024. Fury cashed in $140 (€134.4/£112) million in winnings alongside $7 (€6.7/£5.6) million in endorsement deals, a very fruitful 2024 for the former British heavyweight champ.
2. Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry can still boast of having the highest-paying salary in the NBA for the eighth straight year. According to ESPN, his Golden State deal is worth around $55 (€52/£41.2) million this season. On top of that, the American point guard earns $100 (€95/£79.9) million in endorsements.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo still ranks at the top as the best-paid athlete in the world. The Al-Nassr star earns a jaw-dropping $215 (€206/£171.9) million salary, alongside $45 (€43.1/£35.9) in endorsements from Armani, Herbalife, TAG Heuer, and Clear Shampoo.
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