Gianni Infantino, the chairman of the sport’s governing organisation, announced Monday during Pele’s funeral that FIFA will invite all countries across the world to name a stadium after the late Brazilian football hero.
Infantino was in Santos, Brazil, to pay his respects to the man largely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, who died Thursday at the age of 82.
“I am here with a lot of emotion, loss, but also with a smile because he brought us so many smiles,” Infantino said during Pele’s burial. As FIFA, we will pay respect to the “King” and request that the entire globe observe a minute of silence.
Infantino was among the first to pay tribute to Pele’s open casket, which was exhibited in the centre of the field at Vila Belmiro stadium, as part of a 24-hour wake attended by the leaders of the South American and Brazilian football confederations.
“We’ve come with a heavy heart,” Infantino remarked. “Pele is immortal. He is a football hero across the world.”
FIFA had already lowered the flags of the globe at half-mast outside its Zurich offices in honour of Pele, whom the organisation has dubbed the greatest player of the twentieth century.
On Monday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that every country should name a stadium after Pelé. ‘We are going to ask that every country in the globe have at least one stadium named Pele,’ according to the Daily Mail. After a battle with cancer, the Brazilian football legend died on Thursday. The three-time World Cup champion was 82 years old.
“I am here with a lot of emotion, loss, but also with a smile because he brought us so many smiles,” Infantino said during Pele’s burial. As FIFA, we will pay respect to the “King” and request that the entire globe observe a minute of silence.”
Thousands of mourners paid their tribute to Pelé in a sombre procession past his casket at Santos’ Vila Belmiro Stadium on Monday.
Pelé’s coffin was laid to rest on the field where he scored some of his most memorable goals. Mourners marched past his casket at the 16,000-seat stadium near Sao Paulo’s midfield. There will be a Catholic Mass there Tuesday morning before his burial in a local cemetery.
Vila Belmiro was decked out with Brazilian flags and No. 10 jerseys, which gained popularity after Pelé began wearing them for Santos and Brazil.
The stands were filling up with flower bouquets put by mourners and given by teams and famous players from across the world, including Neymar and Ronaldo, while loudspeakers played a song titled “Eu sou Pelé” (“I am Pelé”) sung by the Brazilian himself.
Fans come early to pay tribute to Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé.
Every country could name a stadium Gianni Infantino after Pele.
