FIFA President to ask every country to name stadium after Pele
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has called on every country in the world to name a stadium in honour of Pele.
Pele, the Brazil great who won the World Cup three times and scored more than 1,000 goals, died last Thursday aged 82.
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Infantino, who is in Brazil for Pele’s funeral, told local reporters: “We’re going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele.”
In April 2021 Rio de Janeiro abandoned plans to name the famous Maracanã stadium after Pele after it was vetoed by the state governor.
Pele’s coffin was placed inside the Vila Belmiro stadium in Santos on Monday, the home ground of the club where he spent virtually his entire career.
Infantino released a statement on the day of Pele’s death which began: “For everyone who loves the beautiful game, this is the day we never wanted to come. The day we lost Pele.”
