Brazil football legend Pele will be honoured in his home country with a commemorative day baptised “King Pele Day”, reported Tuesday’s edition of the government gazette.
Considered by many the greatest footballer of all time, Edson Arantes do Nascimento — better known as Pele — won three World Cups with Brazil and scored more than 1,000 goals over his storied career.
“King Pele Day” will be held on November 19 — the date on which the striker scored his 1,000th goal in a match for boyhood club Santos at Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana Stadium in 1969.
Pele’s goal came from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win against Vasco da Gama, and the match was momentarily interrupted as supporters invaded the pitch to celebrate O Rei’s (The King’s) achievement.
The Tres Coracoes native dedicated his landmark goal to the “poor children of Brazil”.