BRAZIL: As the world continues to mourn the loss of Brazilian football icon Pele, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced plans to honour the legend by urging countries around the globe to name their stadiums after him.
Infantino, in a statement, said that Pele was not just a great player but an inspiration for “millions of people around the world.” He added that Pele’s contributions to football “cannot be overstated” and that naming stadiums in his honour is fitting to pay tribute to Pele’s legacy.
Pele, whose real name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. He won three World Cup titles with the Brazilian national team and scored 1,281 goals in his career, a record that still stands today. But Pele’s impact extended far beyond the football field.
Pele was a global ambassador for the sport, using his platform to promote peace and unity through the game. He was also a philanthropist, supporting numerous charitable causes and using his influence to raise awareness for critical issues.
Several prominent players in the football world, like current Brazilian national team captain Neymar Jr. and former Brazilian national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, have previously backed Infantino’s request to honour Pele by renaming stadiums in his honour.
“Pele was not just a great player, but a great human being,” Scolari said. He added that Pele used his talent and fame to impact the world positively and that it only fits that the football community honour him in the way proposed by Infantino.
Neymar Jr. echoed Scolari’s sentiments, saying that Pele’s legacy will live on by naming stadiums in his honour.
“Pele was a true inspiration to me and countless others,” Neymar Jr. said. “His contributions to the game and the world will never be forgotten, and I am proud to support this tribute to his memory.”
It remains to be seen which countries will take up Infantino’s call to honour Pele in this way. Still, the Brazilian icon’s legacy will continue to inspire and motivate future generations of football players and fans for years to come.
Also Read: The King of Football Passes Away: Pele Loses Battle with Cancer Aged 82
