“Rei Pelé” for King Pelé.
The State of Rio has voted for the iconic Maracana stadium to change its name and henceforth to become the Edson Arantes do Nascimento-Roi Pelé stadium.
The governor of the state of Rio has yet to give the green light in the days to come.
"It is a worthy tribute to a man recognized around the world for his Brazilian football heritage and for the services he has rendered to our country," said André Ceciliano, the deputy behind the proposal.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, nicknamed Pelé, is the only player in history to have won three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970).
Aged 80 since October 23, 2020, he notably scored his 1,000 goal at the Maracana on November 19, 1969.
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Since 1966, the stadium has been named after Mario Filho, a journalist who lobbied for its construction in the 1940s. But the stadium, inaugurated in 1950, during the FIFA World Cup won by Uruguay at the expense of Brazil (2-1), has always been called the name of the district where it is located.
Some close to Mario Filho notably criticized this vote.
However, it was indicated that the sports infrastructure around the stadium would keep their current name.
The 2014 World Cup final between Germany and Argentina (1-0) took place in this stadium, owned by the State of Rio, just like the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in 2016.