Neymar led the tributes to Pele after the Brazil legend's death on Thursday as the Paris Saint Germain star said his iconic compatriot had "transformed football into an art". Brazil forward Neymar hailed Pele, a three-time World Cup winner, in a social media post alongside two pictures of himself with the legend.
"Before Pele, '10' was just a number," the heir to Pele's famed shirt number wrote on Instagram.
"But that beautiful sentence is incomplete. I would say that before Pele, football was just a sport.
"He transformed football into an art, into entertainment... Football and Brazil gained status thanks to the King. He has gone, but his magic will remain. Pele is ETERNAL!"
Like Pele, France striker Kylian Mbappe shot to stardom after winning the World Cup at a young age.
"The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten. RIP KING," PSG forward Mbappe tweeted.
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo said, "He will never be forgotten and his memory will live on forever in each of us football lovers. Rest in peace, King Pele."
Argentine World Cup winner Lionel Messi wrote, "Rest in peace, Pele."
