Football Legend Pele Mourns The Death of Former Teammate Dorval Rodrigues

Dorval Died Due to Respiratory Problems

Pele has paid his tribute to his former Brazil and Santos teammate Dorval Rodrigues, who died on Sunday aged 86.

Dorval was admitted to the Casa de Saude hospital in Santos where he died due to respiratory problems, his daughter Sandra told the media.

"Everyone who loves football woke up sad today," Pele wrote on Instagram. "My great friend, partner and the best right-winger in history said goodbye to us. Santos has lost a hero. Football has lost a genius. Rest in peace, my friend," added the 81-year-old.

Santos declared seven days of mourning and said a wake would be held at the club's Vila Belmiro headquarters, Xinhua reports. "Dorval is one of the unforgettable players, who helped to build (our) beautiful history," Santos president Andres Rueda told the club's official website. "He deserves utmost reverence for his achievements. Santos has lost one of its greatest idols today."

Dorval Rodrigues, simply known as Dorval, was a Brazilian footballer who played mainly as a right-winger.

After failing to make his breakthrough, he moved to lowly locals Grêmio Esportivo Força e Luz, where he made his senior debut.

In October 1956, Dorval signed a contract with Santos, after spending some months on trial at the club; he made 612 appearances and scored 194 goals for Santos from 1956 to 1967.

Dorval left Santos in 1967, and joined Palmeiras.

After having little success with his new club, he moved to Atlético Paranaense in 1968, where he won the 1970 Campeonato Paranaense.

In 1972, after one season with Venezuela's Carabobo, Dorval retired at the age of 37, after playing for Saad.

Dorval played 13 matches for the Brazil national football team, being called up for the 1959 South American Championship in Argentina and making his full international debut on 10 March 1959, in a 2–2 draw against Peru at the Monumental de Núñez. His only goal for the national side occurred on 17 September of that year, in a 7–0 routing of Chile at the Maracanã Stadium.