Cape Verde to rename national stadium after late Brazilian legend Pele

The 15,000-seat Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde, located just outside the city of Praia, is set to be renamed after the late Brazilian icon Pele.

Cape Verde's prime minister made the announcement after FIFA, the world's football governing body sent an appeal to all countries worldwide.

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, recently issued a plea for all nations to dedicate a stadium to Pele in memory of the late Brazilian legend.

Pele died at the age of 82, just before the end of 2022, after a lengthy fight with cancer. His demise shocked the football world and the rest of the world.

Cape Verde’s Prime Minister Ulisses Correira e Silva took to his official Facebook page to make the announcement.

"As a tribute and recognition to this figure that makes us all great, I manifest the intention of naming our national stadium as "Pele Stadium", in an initiative that, I believe, will be followed by several countries around the world.

"With the physical disappearance of Edson Arantes de Nascimento, King Pele, who soon became a planetary figure, an icon of the masses showing that sport has the power to unite the world, it is now our wish to pay tribute to him,"

"Cape Verde and Brazil have a history and culture that go hand in hand, considering they are two sister countries, linked by language and very similar identities.

"Pele was and always will be a reference in Brazil, in our Portuguese-speaking countries and in the rest of the world, being an idol that links several generations."