The word “Pelé” has been added to a Brazilian dictionary’s list of adjectives to use when referring to people who are “exceptional, incomparable, or unique.”
The Michaelis dictionary made the news on Wednesday as part of a campaign that amassed more than 125,000 signatures to recognize the late soccer great’s influence outside of his sport.
The three-time World Cup champion passed away in December at the age of 82 following a battle with colon cancer.
The dictionary entry reads: “The one that is extraordinary, or who because of his quality, value or superiority cannot be matched to anything or anyone, just like Pelé; nickname of Edson Arantes do Nascimento (1940-2022), considered the best athlete of all time; exceptional, incomparable, unique. Examples: He is the Pelé of basketball, she is the Pelé of tennis, she is the Pelé of Brazilian theater, he is the Pelé of medicine.”
The Pelé Foundation, Santos FC — where he played most of his career — and many Brazilians celebrated the decision by the publishers of one of the country’s most popular dictionaries.
“The expression that was already used to refer to the best at something is already eternal in the pages of the dictionary,” Pelé’s social media channels said after the announcement. “We made history together and put the name of the King of Soccer into the Portuguese language. Pelé means ‘THE BEST’.”
With Brazilian club Santos and the Brazil national team, Pelé spent nearly two decades captivating spectators and mesmerizing rivals as the game’s most prolific scorer. The only players cited alongside the late Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo when discussing the best soccer players.