[FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the wake for late football legend ‘Pele’ Brazil. Photo courtesy EPA PIC]
The International Football Federation, FIFA, plans to ask each country to name a stadium after Pelé,
According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino who made the disclosure in Brazil, after flying there to attend the soccer legend’s wake and funeral.
Plans had existed in April 2021 for the famous Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro to bear Pelé’s name, but ultimately that did not happen due to a veto from the political world.
We’re going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele,” Infantino told journalists at the Vila Belmiro, the stadium where the player known as “The King” first exploded onto the world stage with his exploits for his longtime club, Santos FC.
Pelé will be buried on Tuesday 3rd January 2022 in a private ceremony.
Thousands of mourners queued through the night to pay respects to Brazil legend Pele who is lying in state at the ground of his former club Santos.