All posts tagged: edson arantes do nascimento

Guinea-Bissau Renames Stadium In Honour Of Pele

Published by Webster

The regional stadium, which has a capacity of about 15,000 seats, was renamed after Pele.© Twitter The West African state of Guinea-Bissau has renamed a sports stadium in its second city Bafata “Pele Stadium” in honour of the late Brazilian football legend, the government announced on Friday. The decision was made at a cabinet meeting after observing a minute’s silence in memory of Pele, who died on December 29 at age 82, the government said in a statement. The regional stadium has a capacity of about 15,000 seats. Bafata is located about 150 kilometres (90 miles) east of the capital Bissau. On Wednesday, Cape Verde’s prime minister announced that the stadium in its capital city, Praia, would also be renamed the “Pele Stadium”. The two African countries made the name changes in response to a call by FIFA president Gianni Infantino for each member country of the world football association to name one of its stadiums after the star player. Following Pele’s death, thousands of fans and football dignitaries gathered at the stadium of the …

FIFA Boss Gianni Infantino In Pele Wake Selfie Row

Published by Webster

Gianni Infantino with the son of Pele, Edinho.© AFP FIFA chief Gianni Infantino insisted Wednesday he would never be disrespectful to Pele as he came under fire over a photo call at the Brazilian legend’s wake. Infantino took a selfie with some of Pele’s old teammates on Monday right beside the open coffin of the three-time World Cup winner. The Swiss said he took the photo as Pele’s friends seemed unable to operate their mobile phones. “I took the phone of one of them and took the photo of all of us for him,” Infantino insisted. “If being helpful to a teammate of Pele creates criticism I’m happy to take it and will continue to be helpful wherever I can to those having contributed to write legendary pages of football. “I have so much respect and admiration for Pele and for that ceremony yesterday that I would never do anything that would be disrespectful in any way whatsoever,” Infantino said. Brazil gave Pele a powerful send off starting with a day-long wake at the Santos …

Rodrygo Pays Tribute To Pele As Real Madrid Advance To Spanish Cup Last 16

Published by Webster

Rodrygo scored the only goal and celebrated by paying tribute to Pele© AFP Rodrygo scored the only goal and celebrated by paying tribute to Pele as Real Madrid advanced to the Spanish Cup last 16 on Tuesday with a hard-fought 1-0 win over fourth-tier Cacereno. The Brazilian broke the deadlock after 69 minutes beating two defenders to fire in and celebrated by jumping with an upward fist, the way football great and compatriot Pele used to celebrate his goals. Pele’s funeral was held Tuesday in Brazil after his death last week at age 82. Madrid made their Cup debut in the round of 32 and coach Carlo Ancelotti rested star players including Karim Benzema for the trip to the western Extremadura side who had ousted top flight Girona in the previous round. On Tuesday, Valencia, Villarreal and Espanyol also advanced to the last 16. Espanyol eliminated Celta Vigo 3-1 after extra time in the only top-flight duel, after the match ended 1-1 following regular time. Sergi Darder scored Espanyol’s second with Nico Melamed bagging the …

Brazil Pays Final Respects To Football Giant Pele

Published by Webster

An emotional Brazil began paying its final respects Monday to football legend Pele with a wake at the stadium where he first took the world’s breath away with his dazzling skill. Throughout the day, thousands of fans and football dignitaries slowly filed through the Vila Belmiro, home to Pele’s longtime club, Santos. More continued to join the queue as night fell, waiting their turn to walk past the body of “O Rei” (The King), lying at the center of the field. Pele’s coffin was draped in the flags of Santos and Brazil and surrounded by white flowers, including bouquets from the likes of Real Madrid or current Brazil star Neymar, whose father was in attendance. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife also sent a wreath, local media reported. Lula’s office announced earlier that he would attend the wake on Tuesday morning, less than 48 hours after taking office, to “pay his respects and tribute,” before a funeral procession and interment later in the day. Pele, a three-time World Cup winner widely considered …

FIFA To Ask All Countries To Name A Stadium For Pele

Published by Webster

Football legend Pele died at the age of 82 on Friday.© AFP FIFA will ask all the world’s countries to name a stadium for Brazilian football legend Pele, the head of the sport’s governing body, Gianni Infantino, said Monday at the late icon’s wake. Infantino was in the city of Santos, Brazil, to pay his final respects to the player widely considered the greatest of all time, who died Thursday at the age of 82. “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. …

Brazil Begins Paying Final Respects To Football Giant Pele

Published by Webster

An emotional Brazil began paying its final respects Monday to football legend Pele with a wake at the stadium where he first took the world’s breath away with his dazzling skill. Hundreds of fans lined up Monday morning to file through the Vila Belmiro, home to Pele’s longtime club, Santos, where the coffin bearing the remains of “O Rei” (The King) was displayed in the center of the field. Pele, a three-time World Cup winner widely considered the greatest footballer of all time, died Thursday at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer. Carlos Mota and his 12-year-old son Bernardo traveled more than 500 kilometers (300 miles) from Rio de Janeiro to Santos, a southeastern port city in Sao Paulo state, to pay tribute to their late hero. “My whole childhood was influenced by what Pele did for Brazil, by his World Cup wins. He was a national idol,” Mota, 59, told AFP. “I never saw Pele play, but I’ve seen the videos. He’s the greatest player who ever walked the Earth,” …

Final Farewell For Pele, Brazil’s Football ‘King’

Published by Webster

Brazilians bid a final farewell this week to football giant Pele, starting Monday with a 24-hour public wake at the stadium of his long-time team, Santos. The oceanside home of the team nicknamed “Peixe” — “fish” in Portuguese — is expecting a huge influx of fans looking to honor the “King” of football, who died aged 82 on Thursday after a long battle with cancer. Stadium doors will open at 10:00 am local time (1300 GMT). The coffin bearing the remains of the only player to have won three World Cups will be displayed in the center of the field. Known as Vila Belmiro after the neighborhood where it is located, the black-and-white stadium has a capacity of 16,000 people. In the stands, three giant flags could be seen Sunday, one with an image of Pele displaying the famous number 10 on his jersey. Another bore the message “Long live the king”; the third said simply, “Pele 82 years.” Entry to the stadium will be allowed until 10:00 am Tuesday, officials said. After that, a …

From Minute’s Silence To Black Armbands, European Leagues To Honour Pele With Tributes

Published by Webster

Top flight football matches in England, Spain, Italy, France will all honour Pele before each match in the upcoming round of games, it was announced on Friday. “In tribute to Pele, Premier League clubs will remember his contribution to football by holding a minute’s applause prior to kick-offs,” said a statement on the English Premier League’s Twitter feed. “Players and match officials will wear black armbands.” A similar announcement was made by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). Serie A action returns after its winter break on Wednesday where a minute’s silence will be observed for the Brazilian legend. Games in France’s Ligue 1 will be preceded by a minute’s applause while a photo of Pele with the World Cup is shown on the big screens in the stadiums. In Spain, La Liga announced that a minute of silence would be observed before each match this weekend. Brazil started three days of national mourning Friday for Pele, the three-time World Cup winner widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, who died Thursday at the …

Pele’s Death Leaves Irreplaceable Void In World Of Sports: PM Modi

Published by Webster

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday condoled the demise of soccer king Pele, saying his outstanding sporting performances and success will keep inspiring the coming generations. Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in 1940, Pele died on Thursday. He was 82. Named athlete of the century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999, Pele is the only footballer in history to win three World Cups — 1958, 1962 and 1970. “The passing away of Pelé leaves an irreplaceable void in the world of sports. A global football superstar, his popularity transcends boundaries. His outstanding sporting performances and success will keep inspiring the coming generations,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter. The passing away of Pelé leaves an irreplaceable void in the world of sports. A global football superstar, his popularity transcends boundaries. His outstanding sporting performances and success will keep inspiring the coming generations. Condolences to his family and fans. RIP. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2022 “Condolences to his family and fans. RIP (rest in peace),” Modi said. Nicknamed “O Rei” (The King), he scored more than 1,000 goals in one of the most storied careers in sport, before retiring in 1977. He had been in increasingly fragile health, battling kidney …

Final Farewells: Deaths In Sport In 2022

Published by Webster

Pele, Shane Warne and Bill Russell — just three sports icons who passed away in 2022. AFP Sport looks at their legacies as well as nine other high-profile sports stars to have died over the last year: Basketball Bill Russell— Died aged 88 on July 31– He won a record 11 NBA crowns as a cornerstone of a Boston Celtics dynasty, overcame racism to become the league’s first Black superstar and was a prominent civil rights activist. He was the first Black coach to win the NBA Finals. That triumph came in 1968, especially poignant as it was just weeks after civil rights leader Martin Luther King’s assassination. “A good man and great American who did everything he could to deliver the promise of America for all Americans,” said US President Joe Biden. Boxing Earnie Shavers — Died aged 78 on September 1– “Earnie hit me so hard it shook my kinfolk in Africa,” remarked Muhammad Ali after their 1977 heavyweight world title bout which Ali won after 15 pulsating rounds. One of 10 children, …