FIFA president requests every country to name stadium after Pele
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Pele's coffin currently rests inside the field of the Vila Belmiro, home to Pele's club Santos in Brazil.
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Source: Sporting News.
FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino, confirmed on Monday that he would ask every country in the world to name a stadium in honor of football legend Pelé.
Currently attending Pele's funeral in Brazil, Infantino relayed to reporters: “We’re going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pelé.”
He added: “For everyone who loves the beautiful game, this is the day we never wanted to come. The day we lost Pelé.”
The coffin of "O Rei" (The King), who scored a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches during a career spanning more than two decades, rests at the moment inside the field of the Vila Belmiro, home to Pele's club Santos. The funeral procession is expected to last for a full 24 hours.
Three-time Brazilian world football champion Pele died at the age of 82 on December 29, according to his daughter Kely Nascimento.
In September 2021, Pele was diagnosed with a colon tumor and a year later was hospitalized twice to treat three malignant tumors and a urinary tract infection.
Last month, Pele underwent non-elective hospitalization with general swelling of the body, including heart failure. It was later reported that his body stopped responding to chemotherapy and that the football legend was provided with palliative care.
Per the legend's sister, his mother is unaware that her son has passed away. Pele's lone surviving brother was yet to inform Celeste, who recently turned 100 and is being cared for by her daughter Maria Lucia do Nascimento, that her famous footballer son has succumbed to colon cancer.
