France star Kylian Mbappe said on Thursday that Pele's legacy "will never be forgotten" after the Brazil legend died at the age of 82.

Football legend Pele, who died Thursday at the age of 82, "transformed football into an art," said Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar in a tribute to his country's greatest sporting icon.

Pele burst onto the global stage at just 17 with dazzling goals as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time in Sweden in 1958.

"I was born to play football, just like Beethoven was born to write music and Michelangelo was born to paint."

Pele was the best-loved footballer of his or any other generation, the eternal master of the beautiful game.

Pele, the legendary Brazilian soccer player who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and best-known athletes in modern history, died on Thursday at the age of 82.

Jurgen Klopp has hailed Lionel Messi as 'the greatest player of his lifetime' and explained why he was happy to see Argentina winning the World Cup.

Pele, the world soccer star will remain hospitalized at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Sao Paulo, to receive the New Year because his clinical condition has worsened and he no longer reacts to treatment, so he is only receiving palliative care to help him mitigate the pain and breathe better.

Pele urged Neymar to "keep inspiring us" on Saturday after the Brazil forward dropped a retirement hint following his team's shock World Cup defeat to Croatia.

Brazil's players paid tribute to legend Pele, who is receiving hospital treatment in Sao Paulo due to his ailing health, after sauntering to a 4-1 World Cup victory over South Korea.

Soccer great Pele on Monday backed Brazil's national team ahead of their World Cup round of 16 match against South Korea, saying he will watch the game from hospital after being admitted there last week as he battles colon cancer.

Fans of football superstar Pele congregated Sunday outside the Sao Paulo hospital where the 82-year-old Brazilian icon is being treated for a respiratory infection.

Brazilian football legend Pele said on Saturday that he feels "strong, with a lot of hope" despite medical problems that have kept the 82-year-old sports icon in the hospital with a respiratory infection.

World Cup host nation Qatar showed its support for Pele on Saturday, lighting up buildings with a "Get well soon" message for the Brazil football great.

Brazilian soccer legend Pele is receiving palliative care after chemotherapy stopped having the expected results as he battles colon cancer, newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported on Saturday.

Brazilian football legend Pele has been hospitalised again, but there is "no emergency," his daughter said Wednesday, the latest health issue for the 82-year-old icon, who has been in treatment following a colon tumor.

Football legend Pele gave Brazil a virtual pre-match pep talk Thursday as the national team prepared to make their World Cup debut, telling them: "Bring this trophy home."

Brazil great Pele backed the team to live up to their billing as World Cup favourites and capture a record-extending sixth title in Qatar, saying he has full confidence in the 26-man squad selected by head coach Tite.

Pele, Neymar and other big names in Brazilian football voiced outrage Friday over a Spanish agent's allegedly racist comments on Brazil and Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, whom he urged to stop "acting like a monkey."

Brazil's Congress has established a committee to oversee the national team's preparations for the 2022 World Cup, saying the Selecao's image is at a "low point" after a series of defeats bruised the national ego.