Pele’s funeral began and Infantino demanded that all countries have a stadium named after O Rei

The president of FIFA, the Swiss Gianni Infantinoannounced this Monday that it will ask all countries to have at least one stadium in their territory with the name Pelé, in homage to the Brazilian legend who died last Thursday in São Paulo.

The top football executive made the proposal in a brief contact with the media stationed at the Santos stadium to cover the star’s funeral, which takes place 24 hours before burial at the Ecumenical Necropole Memorial.

“We will ask that all countries in the world have at least one stadium named after Pelé so that children know its importance,” Infantino announced in honor of the three-time world champion with the Brazilian team (1958, 1962 and 1970 ).

Asked about his feelings upon hearing the news of the death, the FIFA chief confessed “So much emotion, sadness, but also smiles because he has given us so many smiles. We will ask everyone to respect a minute of silence”.

Last weekend’s matches in Europe’s top leagues were preceded by a respectful remembrance of legend Édson Arantes do Nascimento, who died on Thursday at the age of 82 at the Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo, where he had remained hospitalized with palliative care after a extensive fight against colon cancer.

Pele’s funeral began this Monday at 10:00, but for several hours before that thousands of Brazilians had lined up to enter the place, in the midst of a massive security operation. The coffin was carried to the Vila Belmiro stadium by his son Edinho and former Santos glories.

The supporters who pay homage to the Brazilian champion enter from one of the stalls of the field and retrace the corridors formed by the fences, near the coffin located inside a tent in the center of the playing field.

The stands of the camp were lined with large flags with different messages: “Long live the King”, “Pelé 82 years old”, “Santos shirt 10” and “The only one who stops a war”, in relation to the truce born in a civil conflict in Nigeria during his visit in 1969.

Pelé will be veiled in the club where he spent almost his entire career (1956-1974) before retiring to the United States (1975-1980). With Santos, “O Rei” won more than 20 titles, including the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental of 1962 and 1963.