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. “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 in honour of Pele, whom the
organisation 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.
Monday’s wake will be followed by a funeral procession
through the streets of Santos Tuesday, then a private interment ceremony. AFP