Enlarge image
Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer in 2015
Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP
Franz Beckenbauer reacted to the death of his friend and former teammate Pelé with emotional words.
"Football has lost the greatest in its history today - and I have lost a unique friend," said the 77-year-old Beckenbauer in a statement published by German soccer record champions FC Bayern Munich.
Pelé died Thursday at the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, aged 82.
»Born in Três Corações, Pelé had three hearts: for football, for his family, for all people.
Someone who played with the stars and always stayed down to earth,” added Beckenbauer.
The DFB honorary captain remembered the time he spent with Pelé at the US club New York Cosmos in 1977: "This time at his side was one of the greatest experiences of my career.
We became US champions together right away, and Pelé then just called me his brother.
It was an unimaginable honor for me.«
At the end of the statement, Beckenbauer addressed the words to Pelé directly: “Football will be yours forever!
you will always stay
Thank you for your game, O Rei!«
kfr/dpa
