FIFA president Gianni Infantino has revealed that the world football governing body, will ask Nigeria and every other country in the world to name a stadium after Pele following his death last week.
Pele passed away aged 82 and Infantino will ask countries to honour one of the all-time greats with the gesture.
“We are going to ask that all countries in the world have at least one stadium with the name of Pele,” said while commenting at Pele’s funeral which began in Santos on Monday.
He said that the reason behind this idea would be ‘so that children know Pele’s importance’.
An emotional Brazil began paying its respects to football legend Pele today, as his coffin arrived at the stadium where he first took the world’s breath away.
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Hundreds of fans began filing into the Vila Belmiro, home to Pele’s longtime club Santos, where the open casket bearing the body of ‘The King’ was displayed at the centre circle this morning.
The casket, which was placed under an awning and surrounded by bouquets of white flowers, will remain there for 24 hours.
Pele is the only player to have won the World Cup three times, first at the 1958 edition in Sweden, in Chile in 1962 and Mexico 1970.
During his more than 20 years as a professional footballer, Pele also amassed over 1,200 career goals.
2 Comments
What did FIFA do when our legends died in Africa? Even in Nigeria here, what did FIFA
do? Let me name few, Muda Lawal, Okwaraji, Rashidi Yekini and Keshi? Why FIFA did not make an attempt when they died? Were these players not important too?
To them, Africa have no dignity and this is why whatever they like, they will just command African leaders to make it happen.
I don’t blame them though because our leaders have sold their birthright. Africa image have not value anymore.
It is a decision that should come from any of the African countries that wish to name one of their stadium after Pęlę.
Even here in Nigeria, I don’t NFF will wake up one day to name one of the stadiums after their star players.
It is a wrong move by FIFA. We have Africans know the right thing to do. We love Pęlę but FIFA can’t tell us what to do period. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
He deserves it . Every country must have at least a stadium named after him. He is the real and genuine G.O.A.T. Sentiments apart.The only player to have won the world cup three times . There are only two players in the world . Pele and the rest. Pls those calling Messi the GOAT in a world where Pele had existed should being partisan . It is a total disrespect to Pele and other football legends like Maradona, Zidane, Renaldidho , Juhan Cruff et al. Happy new to all deserving fans