The three-time World Cup winner had been moved to palliative care on Saturday after his body stopped responding to cancer treatment.
He died in the presence of his family at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo.
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.
Born on Oct. 23, 1940, Pele, whose given name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is widely considered the greatest footballer of all time.
Pele's career began in 1956 in Santos. In 1957, he was selected into the Brazil national team, and since then scored 77 goals for Brazil in 92 appearances. He is the only player to win the World Cup three times, having lifted the sport's most prestigious trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
In 1977, Pele retired. He was the all-time leading scorer in the history of the sport with 1,283 goals in 1,366 matches, including 757 goals in official matches.
