On June 1, 2022, Brazilian football legend Pele wrote an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to end the invasion of Ukraine.
As the Ukrainian men's football team faced Scotland in a World Cup playoff semi-final, Pele used the opportunity to make a heartfelt request: 'Stop the invasion. There is absolutely no justification for this continued violence.'
Recalling their past meeting in 2017, Pele wrote, 'The power to stop this conflict is in your hands. The same ones I shook in Moscow.'
Considered by many the greatest footballer of all time, Pele had one of the most storied careers in sport, scoring over 1,000 goals before retiring in 1977.
His message comes as the Ukraine conflict nears its 100th day, with fierce fighting ongoing in the nation's east.
The match in Glasgow was the first for the Ukrainian national team since the invasion began.
