FIFA To Ask Every Country To Name A Stadium After Pele – Infantino

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) will ask all the world’s countries to name a stadium for Brazilian football legend Pele, the Association’s head, Gianni Infantino had said Monday, January 2, 2023. before the internment of the global football icon in Brazil.

He made the statement at the wake keeping ceremony organized for the Brazilian football legend.

Infantino was in the city of Santos, Brazil, to pay his final regards to the player widely considered the greatest of all time, who died Thursday, December 29, 2022 at age 82.

FIFA to Ask Every Country to Name a Stadium After Pele

“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.

Attending the 24-hour wake along with the heads of the South American and Brazilian football confederations, Infantino was among the first to pay homage before Pele’s open casket, which was displayed in the middle of the field at Vila Belmiro stadium.

“We’re here with great sadness,” Infantino said. “Pele is eternal. He’s a global icon of football.”

FIFA had already flown the flags of the world at half-mast Friday outside its headquarters in Zurich out of appreciation for Pele, whom the organization has named as the greatest player of the 20th century.

Pele, the only player in history to win three World Cups, died at a Sao Paulo hospital after a long battle with cancer.

READ: Flashback: Pele’s Tribute To Diego Maradona And What He Wished Before He Died

Monday’s wake will be followed by a funeral parade through the roads of Santos Tuesday, then a private interment ceremony. Let us know your take on this.