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

The death of the only man to win the World Cup three times as a player was confirmed by his daughter Kely Nascimento on Instagram.

Pele scored an astonishing 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil and averaged almost a goal a game during his club career, which spanned from 1956 to 1977.

He was admitted to hospital three weeks ago in Brazil after his cancer progressed and he “required greater care related to renal and cardiac dysfunctions”. – Reuters/Football.London