Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known to the world as Pel, has died. The Brazilian soccer star was 82 years-old and had colon cancer. Pel was known far beyond Brazil’s playing fields where he developed his skills. In 1967, for example, sides in Nigeria’s civil war agreed to a cease-fire, so he could play a friendly game there. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II honored him with a knighthood. And in 1986, the leader of the United States said this upon meeting the Brazilian soccer star: “My name is Ronald Reagan, I’m the president of the United States of America…But you don’t need to introduce yourself because everyone knows who Pel is.”
