Brazil legend and three-time World Cup winner Pele has died at the age of 82, leaving behind one of the greatest sporting legacies.

Pele passed away in Sao Paulo on Thursday, leaving the football world in mourning for the loss of one of its all-time legends.

Across a playing career that spanned over two decades, Pele scored for fun and won countless honours.

Here, Stats Perform has picked through some of the iconic moments that helped shape his mystique and reputation in the game.

The Selecao double (1958 World Cup Final)

Already a talent back home, Pele was yet to even complete his first year with Brazil when he caught the imagination half the world away in Sweden, with a string of superb performances at his first World Cup.

He capped it by becoming the then-youngest player to feature in a World Cup final, at 17 years and 249 days, and scored a brace to help his side to victory – including an audacious first that saw him volley a great finish.

The Copa brace (Santos 3-0 Penarol, 1962 Copa Libertadores Finals)

For back-to-back years, Uruguayan heavyweights Penarol had been the undisputed kings of South American club football, but over a two-legged final, Santos had been able to hold them at bay.

That forced a third leg, a playoff to decide who would be crowned Copa Libertadores champions – Pele scored a rapid-fire brace after the restart to put the result beyond doubt.

The halfway-line shot (Brazil 4-1 Czechoslovakia, 1970 World Cup)

A dozen years on from Sweden, and having missed his side's victorious final in 1962 through injury, Pele headed to Mexico for what many assumed to be a chance at correcting unfinished business.

In their first game of the tournament, Brazil ran out convincing winners against Czechoslovakia – but it was the forward's non-goal, an audacious lob from the halfway line that was just pulled wide, that many remember as an enterprising play.

The wonder save (England 0-1 Brazil, 1970 World Cup)

If another moment from the tournament lives fast in the memory though, it's another miss from Pele – but on this occasion, the attacker can't be blamed for not finishing this effort.

He looked to have done everything right, planting a superb downward header off a cross from out wide, only for England goalkeeper Gordon Banks to acrobatically keep it out. A defining moment for both men.

The dummied miss (Uruguay 1-3 Brazil, 1970 World Cup)

It is a testament to how enshrined 1970 – Pele's third and final World Cup triumph – is in his legacy that it is three chances, three misses that linger in the memory.

This time, Pele took the ball on to Uruguay goalkeeper Ladislao Mazurkiewicz and dummied him, before rounding to the right to strike. His shot agonisingly missed the bottom-left corner – but still didn't hurt his side's victory.

Pele, the Brazil great and three-time World Cup winner, has died.

The 82-year-old had been moved to palliative care early in December after his body stopped responding to cancer treatment.

Before Christmas Day, his family travelled to be by his side at the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in Sao Paulo.

His death was confirmed by his daughter on Thursday.

Pele was regarded by most as one of the greatest players in the history of football, leaving an indelible legacy after a career that lasted 21 years.

He played the majority of his club career at Santos, for whom he scored 643 goals in 659 matches over an 18-year period. He also represented the New York Cosmos between 1975 and 1977.

But it was his impact for Brazil that truly cemented his status as a sporting icon and all-time football great.

He helped the Selecao to World Cup success in 1958, 1962 and 1970, with no player in the tournament's history winning it more than him.

Pele's first World Cup triumph in 1958 came when he was just 17 years and 249 days old, making him the youngest player ever to win it. He also scored in the showpiece game – no one younger has ever netted in a World Cup final.

That was one of 77 goals at international level, a haul that still has not been overhauled by a Brazilian player, with Neymar just two behind.

After his retirement, Pele lent his name and influence to many charitable initiatives and will be remembered as arguably the greatest World Cup player of all time.

Enzo Fernandez and the rest of his Benfica team-mates have only one shot at their career, Roger Schmidt has acknowledged, but the coach is not entertaining transfer talk until the New Year.

Fernandez has enjoyed a superb first season in Europe so far, with the Argentina international helping the Lisbon club top the Primeira Liga and their Champions League group, before also tasting World Cup success.

Handed the tournament's Young Player Award for his performances in Qatar, the 21-year-old is expected to be a target for several of Europe's elite in the January transfer window.

Schmidt previously expressed his hope that Fernandez and other Benfica stars who impressed at the World Cup would stay, but acknowledged on Thursday that the desire of the players could prove decisive.

"These young players sometimes have opportunities," he said ahead of Benfica's Primeira Liga clash with Braga. "It's not just Enzo, it's all the players.

"It's part of the football business. If they have opportunities, they have to make decisions. I can give them advice and recommendations.

"But I always respected the players' decisions, because they only have one career."

Fernandez, who only signed for Benfica in June from River Plate, has already been linked with the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United.

With the transfer window yet to officially open for business, Schmidt would not entertain further discussion of potential departures from Benfica, adding: "Until December 31, we are safe.

"Nobody can buy a player. On the eve of the game against Braga, I'm just focused on that. Everything else will happen, perhaps, when the transfer window is open."

Carlo Ancelotti has made it abundantly clear that he will never declare Lionel Messi as the greatest football of all time.

Victory at the World Cup with Argentina handed Messi the one prize that had previously escaped his clutches, adding to a trophy cabinet that boasts four Champions League medals, 10 LaLiga titles and seven Ballon d'Or wins.

That has reignited the debate surrounding who the greatest player in history is, with Messi's standing receiving a boost against the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona.

While some are now happy to declare Messi as the greatest of all time, those are words that Real Madrid boss Ancelotti, who has coached the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Karim Benzema, will never utter.

"It's a hard thing to say. His career continues, whether he has a World Cup or not," he said in a press conference.

"In every era there have been very strong players, a lot. 'Messi is the best in history' will not come out of my mouth.

"I enjoy the best, I have seen Maradona, [Johan] Cruyff, I coach the current Ballon d'Or winner [Benzema]. I don't know who is 'the best ever'."

Ancelotti has been linked with taking over as coach of Argentina's great rivals Brazil, but the Italian reiterated his commitment to Madrid.

"I don't know if they are interested, because they haven't contacted me," he said.

"I appreciate it, in any case, but my situation is very clear: I am happy in this adventure and I will continue until Madrid tell me 'it's over'."

Several charges have been laid against Waterhouse’s promising midfielder, Devonte Walker who is accused of stealing a teammate’s cheque and forcing him to make false reports to the club’s administration.

Walker, 19, is also accused of calling the complainant to a location in Kingston 11, where he held him at gunpoint and forced him to report to the club that the money had been returned.

He also allegedly threatened him not to return to training.

The teenager has been charged with assault at common-law, being in possession of a prohibited weapon, using a prohibited weapon to commit a felony and conspiracy.

Reports from the Olympic Gardens Police are that on December 8, another player at the football club received his monthly wages via cheque.

The player reportedly placed the cheque in his pocket and left his belongings in the players’ changing area.

Upon his return, the cheque could not be found.

After receiving the report, the police followed several lines of enquiry, and Walker emerged as a suspect.

During investigations that followed, CCTV footage showed a man believed to be Walker cashing the missing cheque at a wholesale.

Upon the conclusion of their investigations, detectives arrested Walker and subsequently charged him on December 27.

His court date is being arranged.

Karim Benzema will "show all his quality" in the remainder of Real Madrid's season following his World Cup snub with France, according to head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Benzema won the Ballon d'Or in October after his 44 goals in 46 games during the 2021-22 campaign helped Madrid to win both LaLiga and the Champions League.

However, he has been plagued by injury problems this season and missed the World Cup with France after being ruled out with a thigh issue on the eve of the tournament.

The 35-year-old has since retired from international duty, after France head coach Didier Deschamps decided not to bring him back to Qatar as Les Bleus went deep into the tournament, ultimately losing the final to Argentina on penalties.

With Madrid's competitive season getting back under way at Real Valladolid in LaLiga on Friday, Ancelotti believes Benzema will kick on from this season's setbacks to help Madrid compete for silverware yet again.

"We've got Benzema back and that's good," Ancelotti told reporters at his pre-match press conference on Thursday. "He came back on December 10.

"He started working with the team, played 30 minutes and 45 minutes in friendlies and he's doing well, with enormous enthusiasm.

"He knows that his first leg of the season has not been good and he wants to show things in the second. He's going to show all his quality in this stretch of the season."

Madrid's hunt for trophies sees them facing a busy schedule over the remainder of the season, still competing in the Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana and the Champions League.

As well as those cup competitions, Madrid currently face a two-point deficit to leaders and bitter rivals Barcelona at the summit of LaLiga.

Ancelotti acknowledged the difficulties Madrid's packed fixture list will pose, saying: "The calendar is going to demand a lot from us. Until March there will be a lot of matches.

"We will do individual evaluations of the players, that is the key. Three have returned today and can play tomorrow, but we will have to examine them in detail. We will ration who needs rest and who needs work.

"The only clear thing is that there will be no days off until March."

Despite the hectic remainder of the season, Ancelotti does not feel the squad needs any additions in the January transfer window.

"We're doing very well," Ancelotti added. "We don't need players. I think we're better than last year, take a look."

With a number of key players set to run out of contract at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, Ancelotti is remaining calm over their futures.

"It is an issue that does not worry me," Ancelotti said. "[Dani] Ceballos, [Marco] Asensio, [Luka] Modric, [Toni] Kroos... we are going to be able to evaluate all the cases.

"I want to make one thing very clear: I fully trust these players between now and June. If they consider that the best thing is to go, I will be happy for them."

Kylian Mbappe has shrugged off the taunts from Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez following France's defeat in the World Cup final.

Martinez has come in for significant criticism for his actions following Argentina's shoot-out win over Les Bleus in Qatar, where he called for a minute's silence for Mbappe in dressing room celebrations.

The Aston Villa keeper was then was pictured with a doll with the Paris Saint-Germain star's face stuck on it during an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires.

Mbappe was not fazed by Martinez's behaviour and offered a blunt verdict when a question was posed to him about the antics.

"Celebrations are not my problem. I don't waste energy in such trivial things," he told RMC Sport after PSG's Ligue 1 win against Strasbourg on Wednesday.

"The important thing for me is to give the best of myself for my club, and we will wait for Leo (Messi) to come back to continue scoring and winning games."

Mbappe also revealed he spoke to Messi following the end of the World Cup final and offered congratulations to his club team-mate.

"I spoke with him after the game, I congratulated him. It was the quest of a lifetime for him, for me too, but I failed, so you always have to remain a good player." he said.

Messi is set to return to club duty next week.

Endrick has revealed Vinicius Junior and Cristiano Ronaldo played a part in his decision to join Real Madrid.

The 16-year-old forward has agreed to join LaLiga and European champions Madrid from Palmeiras in July 2024.

Endrick had been linked with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea before opting to make the move to the Spanish capital in a deal that could reportedly be worth €70million.

Fellow Brazilian Vinicius and Madrid's all-time leading goalscorer Ronaldo influenced the teenager's decision to make the switch to Los Blancos.

He told Marca: "Real Madrid is a very big team, and Vini had sent me messages and gave me more hope.

"Cristiano, who is my idol, also played for Real Madrid. That's why I chose Real Madrid and I think it's the right choice. God has always been with me and he has told me that it is the best way."

Carlo Ancelotti also convinced Endrick that joining Madrid was his best option.

"Yes, I spoke with Ancelotti, with Rodrygo, with Eder [Militao], with the Brazilians," he said.

"I thank God very much for everything that happens in my life and I hope that many good things still come, but you have to keep your feet on the ground, have humility and persevere."

The power dynamic at Paris Saint-Germain is a curious watch, with Lionel Messi set to formalise an agreement to remain for another season.

Kylian Mbappe re-signed with the French champions in May until 2025 but has still been linked with moves away from the club.

Messi came out on top over Mbappe in the World Cup final earlier this month, and Barcelona believe an opportunity might arise. 

TOP STORY – BARCELONA SET TO SWOOP FOR FRUSTRATED MBAPPE

Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona are set for a shock move to sign Mbappe.

Speculation over Mbappe's future is growing amid reports he was further frustrated at Parc des Princes after Messi committed to extending his PSG stay.

The 24-year-old was close to joining Real Madrid in the past but he has been turned off by Los Blancos, since copping heavy criticism after opting to renew with PSG, and could now move to their fierce LaLiga rivals instead.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Barca have identified 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko as a potential target and want to sign him as a free agent next year.

– Liverpool want to sign Brighton and Hove Albion's World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, reports La Repubblica. The Reds have joined Juventus, Dortmund, Inter and Benfica in pursuing the Argentina midfielder.

– Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is set to choose Real Madrid over Liverpool, with the Spanish champions to prioritise a deal in 2023, claims Goal. The Liverpool Echo reports Bellingham and Dortmund will sit down in January to discuss his future.

– Liverpool are interested in Inter defender Milan Skriniar , according to Fichajes. The Reds are looking at defensive reinforcements, with Skriniar out of contract at the end of this season.

– Chelsea are interested in signing Celtic's Croatia international Josip Juranovic as cover for the injured Reece James, according to Sky Sports.

– Il Tempo claims that Roma have sounded out PSG about terminating Georginio Wijnaldum's season-long loan. The Dutchman suffered a serious injury in August.

Kylian Mbappe will not get over France's defeat in the World Cup final to Argentina any time soon, but the forward says he is now fully focused on Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite notching a hat-trick for Didier Deschamps side in the final, Mbappe and his international team-mates came up short as Les Bleus were beaten on penalties in the showpiece game of Qatar 2022.

While club-mate Lionel Messi is yet to return to Paris following his triumph, Mbappe made a swift return to domestic action, securing a late 2-1 win against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Wednesday despite Neymar being sent off just after the hour-mark.

Speaking after scoring a 96th-minute penalty he had won himself, the 24-year-old acknowledged the pain of France's loss in Doha will stay with him forever, but stressed he does not feel his team-mates should pay the price for those emotions.

"Personally, I will never stomach it," he said. "[But] my club is not responsible for this failure with the national team. I try to come back with positive energy.

"I tried to bring a boost to my team, and [we hope to] continue our season undefeated. It was a World Cup – the club has nothing to do with it."

On making a swift return to PSG from international duty, Mbappe underlined his commitment to keeping club and country matters separate, adding: "The message is simple. It shows that no matter what happens with the national team, PSG are something else. I am still determined to bring all the trophies back to the capital."

Mbappe's late goal against Strasbourg means Christophe Galtier's side have dropped points just twice in Ligue 1 this season, with an unbeaten Champions League record to match too.

They next play second-place Lens on New Year's Day, where they will hope to open up further daylight between them and their main title rival, who they are eight points clear of having played a game more.

Kylian Mbappe was the "trigger for victory" in Paris Saint-Germain's defeat of Strasbourg as head coach Christophe Galtier praised the forward for putting World Cup heartbreak behind him.

The attacker won and converted a stoppage-time penalty to snatch a late victory against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Wednesday after Neymar had been sent off.

Mbappe's intervention came 10 days after he scored a World Cup final hat-trick for France, only to lose out on a second successive title as Argentina won on penalties.

However, Galtier praised the 24-year-old's fortitude, highlighting his role as a talisman for the champions and suggesting he will pick up where he left off with his World Cup form.

"I think he is on the level of what he did in Qatar," the coach said. "He's benefited from a few days off. Despite the sadness, he had an exceptional tournament, and his recovery means he's been on the pace.

"Since his return, he was determined to play our next two matches. He was the trigger for victory when it was tough. He has taught the whole team with his selflessness."

Neymar's dismissal, for consecutive yellow cards around the hour mark, proved the biggest moment of the match before Mbappe's late heroics.

The Brazilian was booked initially for catching Adrien Thomasson in the face with a trailing hand.

He was then dismissed for simulation.

Galtier acknowledged the second offence was the right call by the officials but felt the first was harsh, particularly after Neymar was on the receiving end of several unpunished challenges.

"I can understand the anger on his part," Galtier added. "I regret that the excessive commitment was not sanctioned more severely. I can understand the simulation, it deserves a yellow.

"But a few minutes before, he takes a bad blow. His first yellow is very severe compared to the number of challenges suffered by Neymar, and not small challenges."

Kylian Mbappe rescued a late victory for Paris Saint-Germain on their return to Ligue 1 action as his injury-time penalty seized a 2-1 win against Strasbourg on Wednesday.

The league leaders had looked destined for a draw at Parc des Princes after captain Marquinhos had cancelled out his opener with an own goal and Neymar had been sent off for consecutive bookings.

But a 96th-minute spot-kick for the France international, just under a fortnight on from his hat-trick in defeat for France in the World Cup final, ensured his side avoided dropping points for the third time this season.

It marked a major reprieve for Christophe Galtier's side, who were without Qatar 2022 winner Lionel Messi in the French capital, and struggled to convert their early dominance into a more comfortable result.

Liverpool have completed the signing of Cody Gakpo in their first move of the January transfer window.

Netherlands forward Gakpo joins from PSV, where he had spent his entire career to date.

A move this season was long anticipated, and Gakpo's performances at the World Cup, where he scored three goals for the Oranje, made a January switch an inevitability.

Manchester United were thought to be favourites for the versatile frontman, but PSV announced on December 26 they had agreed a deal with Liverpool.

That transfer has now been completed, subject to a work permit, after Gakpo travelled to England for a medical.

The 23-year-old told the club's website after his signing was confirmed: "I feel really good, I'm really excited to be here. I'm looking forward to start training and start playing for this amazing club.

"I think this is a great club for me to come in and try to show what I can [do] and try to help the team to achieve more beautiful moments that they already did in the past years.

"I think for me personally it's also good to develop here and there's a lot of great players here [who] I can learn a lot of things from."

Gakpo, who has reportedly cost Liverpool around £37million (€42m), scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie matches this season.

The last player to contribute more goal involvements through 14 games in the Dutch top flight was ex-Liverpool superstar Luis Suarez, who had 25 for Ajax in 2009-10, the season before he joined the Reds.

Gakpo boosts a Liverpool attack missing both Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota due to injury, while he will ease the load on Darwin Nunez, who is enduring a mixed first season.

Marco Verratti has committed his future to Paris Saint-Germain after signing a new deal until 2026.

The Italian midfielder's previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, but the 30-year-old has committed for a further two years at the Parc des Princes.

Verratti joined PSG from Pescara in 2012 and has won eight Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe de France trophies and six Coupe de la Ligues.

He told the club's website on Wednesday: "It gives me great pride to extend my contract with Paris Saint-Germain. I arrived in Paris more than 10 years ago, in this city that I consider my second home. I have always received a lot of support from the club and the fans since I started and I am very grateful for that.

"It was obvious to me that my story would continue to be written here. I hope to win many more trophies in the red and blue shirt."

The announcement came just before Verratti made his 399th appearance for PSG against Strasbourg, and in his 10-and-a-half seasons in France he has 67 goal involvements (11 goals, 56 assists).

Prior to that game, no midfielder in Europe's top five leagues had made more passes than Verratti's 1,806 so far this season, while of those to have made at least 500 passes, only Toni Kroos (94.65) and Leandro Paredes (94.05) had a better accuracy percentage than his 93.80.

Dusan Vlahovic "should have done more" at Juventus, according to former Fiorentina team-mate Borja Valero.

The Serbia striker joined the Bianconeri for €70million in January, having scored 41 goals in 64 appearances for La Viola since the start of the 2020-21 season.

But the 22-year-old has subsequently struggled to kick on, despite finishing as the second-highest scorer in Serie A last term with 24 goals - a tally only bettered by Lazio's Ciro Immobile (27).

Vlahovic has only netted 16 times in 36 games for Juve with a groin injury hampering his progress this season, while also limiting his participation for Serbia at the World Cup in Qatar. 

Valero played alongside Vlahovic at Fiorentina during the 2020-21 campaign, and the ex-midfielder is disappointed with his former team-mate's spell in Turin.

"The Bianconeri fans had very high expectations of Vlahovic, especially for everything he had done in Florence," he told DAZN.

"Considering the amount that Juve paid to get him, it's true to say that I expected more from him. He should have done more."