Captain America Breaks Down When Remembering 'O Rei'
Héctor Chumpitaz and Pelé's relationship transcended football. Our historic captain said that the humility of the greatest player in the world was his greatest virtue.
"Above all, because of the simplicity he had, besides having that quality. He was very humble, he would talk to you as if he had known you for a long time and that filled you with joy because imagine that the best player in the world would converse with you...", Captain America began.
"Actually, talking about Pelé is the greatest. I have had the opportunity to play against him. He has always shown me affection as a good sportsman that he was," he added.
"Pelé is unique. Excuse me for getting emotional, but I admired him a lot (...) May he rest in glory and with time we will play a match up there (in heaven). A little game up there," Héctor Chumpitaz concluded.
The Death of 'O Rei'
The king of football, the Brazilian Pelé, died at the age of 82, announced his family on Thursday, who were with him at the Sao Paulo hospital where he was being treated for cancer.
"We love you infinitely. Rest in peace," his daughter Kely Nascimento posted on her Instagram account from Albert Einstein Hospital, where Pelé was admitted on November 29 for reassessment of his treatment.
Last week, the medical center announced that the colon cancer he had was advanced and that the star had "kidney and heart dysfunctions."
The only footballer in the world to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, and 1970), 'O Rei' had stayed away from public events for years due to hip problems. In September 2021, he was diagnosed with cancer after the removal of a tumor in his colon.