Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos pay tribute to Pele after his death aged 82 – ‘his legacy transcends generations’

Pele is the only player to have won three World Cups and is Brazil’s joint-top scorer in history alongside Neymar with 77 goals.

Ronaldo is third on the list with 62 goals and is one of Brazil’s all-time great strikers.

The former Real Madrid and Barcelona forward paid tribute to the “greatest of all time”, who died after a battle with cancer.

Ronaldo wrote on social media: “Unique. Great. Technical. Creative. Perfect. Unequalled.

“Where Pele came, he stayed. Never left the top, he leaves us today. The king of football – one. The greatest of all time. The world of mourning. The sadness of the farewell mixed with the immense pride of written history.

“What a privilege to come after you, my friend. Your talent is a school every player should go through. His legacy transcends generations. And that’s how you’re going to get on with it.

“Today and always, we will celebrate you. Thank you, Pele. Rest in peace.”

Another Brazil legend, Roberto Carlos, also paid tribute.

“The football world thanks you for everything you did for us thank you KING,” he wrote on Instagram.

Current Brazil and Manchester United winger Antony said: “The greatest of them all! The King, inspiration, example, the only, the ETERNAL!!”

Brazil and Tottenham striker Richarlison said Pele “changed the history” of football forever and his death marks the end of football’s “most beautiful chapter”. “

“Today football says goodbye to its most beautiful chapter. From the guy who charmed the world and changed the history of the game forever,” he said.

“You will always be the greatest, because 60 years ago, with all the difficulties you faced, you already did what a few can do today.

“The guy who dedicated his thousandth goal to the children and made our country realise we could do much more.”

Pele, who was named FIFA’s Player of the Century in 2000, played for Santos and New York Cosmos at club level.

For Santos, he scored 643 goals in 659 games, leading the club to success in the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup, in 1962 and 1963.