Rio de Janeiro (AFP)
Brazilian soccer legend Pele is being honored in his homeland with a memorial day called “King Pele Day,” according to the official gazette.
Considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé, won three World Cup titles with Brazil and scored over 1,000 goals during his storied career.
King Pelé Day will be held on November 19, the date the striker scored his 1,000th goal in a match for his boyhood club Santos at Rio de Janeiro’s famous Maracana stadium in 1969.
Pele’s goal came from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win over Vasco da Gama, and the game was stopped for a moment as fans invaded the pitch to celebrate the King’s achievement.
The following year he won the World Cup for the third time as part of a legendary Brazil team in 1970.
Pelé died on December 29, 2022, at the age of 82, and Brazil declared a national mourning period, with delegations from all over the world flocking to pay their respects.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued the law setting the memorial date.
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