Pelé is being mourned all over the world, especially at Urbano Caldeira stadium home of Santos of Brazil, it was there that Pelé won an array of championships and stayed there until he semi-retired in 1974.
Thousands of fans have come to the Urbano Caldeira to pay their respects to the man who won three FIFA World Cup’s with Brazil and is tied as the nation’s all-time leading scorer with Neymar. Homages by Brazilian players have been made all over the world and in the United States many of the USMNT players both past and present have remembered his contributions to American soccer.
While the world mourns the loss of the first true global sports icon, FIFA president Gianni Infantino took the time to make a request for all of FIFA’s confederations. Infantino was present at the Urbano Caldeira and made the request upon entering the stadium.
Gianni Infantino wants a stadium named after Pelé in every nation around the world
“The whole world knows Pelé and knows what Pelé did for football. He made people fall in love with football,” said the FIFA President. “He is eternal, the King is eternal, and we are here, with much emotion, with great sadness…but with also a smile, because he made all of us smile.”
Infantino continued, “I think the young people around the world, the future generations, have to know and remember who Pelé was, and the happiness he gave the world,” he said. “In 20, 30, 50, or 100 years’ time, when goals are scored in the Pelé stadium in any country in the world, and people ask who he was, (they will hear) he was a great, great player who brought excitement to us all.”
Pele (FIFA)
Pelé will be laid to rest on Tuesday at the Ecumenical Memorial Necropolis cemetery, where he will be buried in a private ceremony. Pelé was 82 years old at the time of his passing.
