One year after death - Homage to Pelé: Christ statue illuminated with jersey
The statue of Christ in the Brazilian metropolis of Rio de Janeiro has been illuminated with a bright yellow Brazil jersey of the soccer legend to mark the one-year anniversary of Pelé 's death. The projection on the monument is a tribute to the player "who enchanted the whole world during his lifetime and will always be a great inspiration for all Brazilians", wrote the Pelé Foundation on Instagram and shared a corresponding image of the statue.
Pelé died of cancer on December 29, 2022 at the age of 82. After three days of national mourning and a 24-hour wake at the stadium of his long-time club FC Santos, the three-time world champion was buried on January 3. Clubs, organizations and athletes also commemorated the death of the soccer icon. The world governing body FIFA shared a video on the platform X, formerly Twitter, with clips from his national team career and wrote: "Pelé's legacy will always live on."
Pope Francis also paid tribute to the "King of Football" in a message and wrote that he would be remembered by many. In a recent interview, the Argentinian answered the question of whether Messi and Maradona were better with Pelé.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, as the striker was known by his full name, left his mark on soccer like no other and was already a legend during his lifetime. Like Argentina's Diego Maradona, the world governing body FIFA named the Brazilian "Player of the 20th Century". In 92 international matches, Pelé scored 77 goals for the Brazilian national team.
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- Millions of people in the metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took to Instagram to pay their tributes to Pelé, sharing photos and messages in honor of the soccer legend.
- The Brazilian national soccer team, eager to continue Pelé's legacy, announced plans to wear a special edition jersey during their upcoming FIFA World Cup match in memory of the "King of Football."
- The media in Rio de Janeiro conducted interviews with local residents who shared their memories of watching Pelé play soccer in the streets of the city, further emphasizing his impact on the sport.
- A prominent Brazilian artist has announced plans to create a statue in Pelé's likeness, to be placed in a public park in Rio de Janeiro, so that future generations can continue to be inspired by the soccer icon.
- Famous soccer stars including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been vocal about their admiration for Pelé, praising his skills and influence on the sport, and expressing their regret at not being able to play against him during his career.
- On a visit to Rio de Janeiro, a group of soccer fans from around the world gathered at the base of the Christ statue, where they held a moment of silence to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Pelé's death and to pay tribute to the soccer legend's lasting impact on the sport.
Source: www.stern.de
