'Before Pele, 10 was just a number' - tributes flow to late football legend

The footballing world has paid tribute to Pele following the death of the Brazil great at the age of 82.

The three-time World Cup winner died on Thursday having been in hospital in Sao Paulo since late November.

Following confirmation of his death, tributes poured in for the player widely regarded as the best to have graced the game.

Pele was a prodigious scorer of goals, and is credited with 1,281 of them across the length of his career by the official FIFA website.

A tweet from the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) read simply "King Pele", accompanied by three crown emojis.

Brazil forward Neymar – who moved level with Pele's record of 77 international goals during the 2022 World Cup – posted his own emotional tribute on Instagram.

"Before Pele, 10 was just a number. I’ve read this phrase somewhere, at some point in my life. But this sentence, beautiful, is incomplete. I would say before Pele football was just a sport. Pele has changed it all," Neymar said.

"He turned football into art, into entertainment He gave voice to the poor, to the blacks and especially: He gave visibility to Brazil. Soccer and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He’s gone but his magic remains. Pele is FOREVER!!"

The president of the federation, Ednaldo Rodrigues, said in a statement: "The CBF will pay all possible tributes to the greatest athlete of all time. Pele is eternal and we will always work to preserve his history and continue his legacy."

Argentina captain Lionel Messi simply wrote: "Rest in peace, @pele."

The FAI is deeply saddened to learn of the death of the great Pele, a man who left such a wonderful impression every time he visited Ireland. Our condolences to our Brazilian friends here at home and to football fans across