Cape Verde is to rename its national stadium after Pele, following FIFA president Gianni Infantino's professed desire to have every nation name a venue after the late forward.

The Brazil star, who passed away last month aged 82, was the only man to win the World Cup three times and remains arguably the greatest footballer of all time.

Speaking at the attacker's memorial earlier this week, Infantino called on each federation member to name a stadium for Pele, to honour the mark he left on world football.

Now Cape Verde will rename its 15,000-seater Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde, located just outside the capital Praia, as the Pele Stadium, per the country's prime minister Ulisses Correia e Silva.

"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," he said in a statemeFacebook.

"[This is] 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, 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."

Pele, whose Brazil tally of 77 goals remains a joint-record for the men's national team, was laid to rest on Tuesday following a procession.

The road surrounding Rio de Janeiro's world-famous Maracana stadium will be renamed in honour of Pele, city mayor Eduardo Paes announced.

Paes said the road known as the Avenida Radial Oeste – West Radial Avenue – would be named Avenida Pele, and declared it would be confirmed formally by the city on Wednesday.

That led to suggestions the renaming did not go far enough, however, and that the road should instead be titled Avenida Rei Pele – King Pele Avenue.

Paes did not disagree, asking his 691,000 followers: "What do you think?"

He put the matter to a poll on Twitter. After 13,200 votes on the ongoing poll, some 89.6 per cent of voters preferred it to be named as Avenida Rei Pele.

News the road would be renamed came on the day Pele was to be laid to rest in Santos, the Sao Paulo municipality where the three-time World Cup winner spent his club playing career.

Pele's death at the age of 82 was announced by his family last Thursday.

The Maracana is Brazil's most iconic stadium, staging the 1950 and 2014 World Cup finals and the 2016 Olympic Games opening ceremony.

Its official name is the Estadio Jornalista Mario Filho, named after a journalist who campaigned in the 1940s for its construction.

In March 2021, it was widely reported the Maracana would be renamed the Edson Arantes do Nascimento – Rei Pele Stadium, incorporating Pele's full name.

That change has not come to pass, however, with the proposal vetoed a month later by Rio's then acting governor Claudio Castro.

Luciano Spalletti has praised Santos for not retiring Pele's number 10 shirt and hopes Napoli now do the same with Diego Maradona's famous jersey.

Santos announced on Sunday they had dropped plans to leave the number vacant following last week's death of club legend Pele, who previously said he was against the idea.

Napoli retired Maradona's number 10 in 2000, 20 years before his death, as a tribute to the Argentina great's starring role in their only two Serie A title triumphs.

But Spalletti believes making the shirt available again can inspire Napoli's current crop of players, who are on course to end the club's 33-year wait for Scudetto glory.

"I want to congratulate those who decided not to retire Pele's number 10, meeting his request," Spalletti said at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"When you retire a shirt, you no longer see it. Pele's number should be shown as many times as possible. Congratulations to those who didn't retire the number 10."

Asked directly about Maradona's retired number 10 shirt, Spalletti said: "I think it's correct to wear the number of great players.

"Seeing it every day gives more responsibility to those wearing it and also to their team-mates, who would be motivated to reach that level."

Napoli return to action after the World Cup break with an eight-point lead over Milan at the top of Serie A, having dropped just four points from their opening 14 matches.

The Partenopei have won each of their past 11 Serie A matches – the last team to register a longer streak was Juventus between December 2017 and March 2018 (12 wins).

Spalletti's side face a tough test on Wednesday at fifth-place Inter, whom they have lost their past four league matches against at San Siro.

While a first Scudetto since the days of Maradona is in sight, Spalletti insists he is not obsessed by finishing top.

"The Scudetto is your obsession, not mine," he told reporters. "My obsession is to see this city explode in joy. 

"We have an awareness of what we have done on the pitch. We'll face a great team. We'll play our brand of football which has given benefits to the team.

"Inter are a top team. Over the last three and a half years, they've made investments worthy of a top European club."

Pele's final journey through the streets of Santos saw thousands turn out on Tuesday to bid farewell to the man they knew as 'King'.

The Brazil great's death at the age of 82 was announced last Thursday, with the three-time World Cup winner having suffered from cancer.

He was moved to palliative care early in December after his body stopped responding to treatment, and his death has been felt deeply across the country.

Santos, a municipality close to Sao Paulo, is the city in which Pele spent his entire club career and far beyond.

He was the superstar of the Santos team, whom he represented from 1956 to 1974, scoring 643 goals in 659 matches and resisting opportunities to move to leading European teams.

A 24-hour wake began on Monday, with fireworks set off and flags waved in his honour, and the celebration of his life continued as his coffin left the Vila Belmiro stadium to travel through the city, before heading to the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica.

That is a vertical, high-rise cemetery, with Pele due to be laid to rest on its ninth floor, at a site that overlooks the Vila Belmiro.

Santos City Hall said over 230,000 people had filed past Pele's coffin while it lay at the stadium, and crowds gathered outside as it left.

The cortege travelled along the beach front, with his coffin resting on top of a fire engine, draped in a Brazil flag.

Many walked alongside and behind, with Santos flags waved and applause by long-time admirers.

The coffin passed by the home of Pele's 100-year-old mother.

On Santos beach, overhead shots showed a view of a message inside a heart, etched onto the sand, reading: "Pele will be eternal."

Gianni Infantino has asked each country to name one stadium after Pele in a tribute to the Brazil great.

Pele, the only man to win the World Cup three times as a player, passed away last week aged 82.

Brazil entered a national period of mourning after Pele's death.

Pele's coffin was placed in the centre circle at Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Sao Paulo, the home of his former club Santos, and FIFA president Infantino was in attendance on Monday.

"We are going to ask that all countries in the world have at least one stadium with the name of Pele," Infantino told reporters in Brazil.

"[This will be] so that children know Pele's importance [to the game of football]."

Naming a sporting venue after a former player is not an uncommon occurrence, with such examples as Hungary's Puskas Arena and the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.

However, it is more unusual for a venue to be named for a player outside their native country, though again not implausible.

Serie A side Napoli renamed their home ground the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in memory of the Argentina great following his death in 2020.

South Korea's Gwangju World Cup Stadium meanwhile was named after Dutchman Guus Hiddink, who took the nation to a fourth-place finish at the 2004 World Cup.

Pele, whose 77 goals for Brazil stands as a joint record, is set to be laid to rest on Tuesday.

Football fans took to the streets of Sao Paulo with fireworks and flags as the hearse carrying Brazil legend Pele's body made its way to the sight of the 24-hour public wake that begins on Monday.

Pele, a three-time World Cup winner, had been moved to palliative care early in December after his body stopped responding to cancer treatment.

His death was announced on Thursday. He was 82.

Tributes have flooded in for the footballing icon after he left a lasting legacy on Brazil and Santos, for whom he scored 643 goals in 659 matches over an 18-year period.

His body left the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital – where he died – during the early hours of Monday ahead of the wake, with fans coming out in force to bid him farewell.

Santos' stadium, the Vila Belmiro, will host the public wake starting at 10:00 local time, with Pele's coffin to be located at the centre of the pitch.

Fans and dignitaries will be able to pay their respects until 10:00 local time on Tuesday.

A procession will then take place on the streets of Santos before Pele is laid to rest in a private ceremony on the ninth floor of the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica, a vertical cemetery poignantly overlooking the Vila Belmiro roughly half a mile away.

Santos have dropped immediate plans to retire the number 10 shirt that Pele wore during his career with the Brazilian club.

The club's members were divided on the issue, and the emergence of an old video in which Pele said he was against the idea has seemingly seen the proposal scrapped for now.

In a 2017 YouTube interview, Pele reportedly said: "It's better, perhaps, to leave the number 10 because then people will never forget it."

Santos president Andres Rueda said soon after Pele's death that retiring the 10 shirt would be "an excellent tribute", revealing it would be put to the club's council for consideration, with the number to be dropped in the meantime pending a final decision.

Multiple reports in Brazil said Pele's daughters had requested the number be retired, but Santos will no longer be taking that course of action in the near future.

Pele won three World Cups with Brazil – in 1958, 1962 and 1970 – and was widely regarded as the greatest player of his generation, touring the world with Santos due to popular international demand.

Rueda has now said, according to Sao Paulo newspaper Folha: "There is an old video that reached us in which Pele talks about his desire to keep the number 10 shirt.

"The concept has changed a bit now. We will leave it to talk to the family later, now is not the time."

Pele played for Santos from 1956 to 1974. The club declared a seven-day period of mourning following his death on Thursday at the age of 82.

Santos will consider a proposal to permanently retire the number 10 that Pele famously wore during his career with the Brazilian club.

However, a day on from the announcement of Pele's death, it has emerged his former club's members are divided about the plan.

President Andres Rueda told Brazilian outlet BandNews: "We are going to propose to the council that it retires the number 10 shirt. This requires a bureaucratic procedure, a council meeting and approval.

"In the meantime, due to an administrative act, we will no longer wear shirt number 10 from January, hoping that it will become a final decision by our board."

Rueda added: "I think it is an excellent tribute. Why wasn't this posted earlier? The opinion of the members is somewhat divided. Previously, there were many advisers who believed the tribute was the number 10 being with the team.

"We will take this request again, but in the meantime, due to an administrative measure, we will no longer use the 10. At least until there is a decision by the council."

Pele won three World Cups with Brazil – in 1958, 1962 and 1970 – and was widely regarded as the greatest player of his generation.

Multiple reports in Brazil said Pele's daughters made the request for his Santos number to be retired permanently.

Venezuelan forward Yeferson Soteldo, who wears the number 10 for Santos at present, posted after Pele's death was announced: "Wearing and taking care of your shirt with affection and respect is a mission that I honour.

"Today you leave us, but your legacy and memories remain. Thank you for everything, King Pele."

Pele played for Santos from 1956 to 1974. The club declared a seven-day period of mourning following his passing on Thursday at the age of 82.

Pele helped to "grab the hearts and minds" of football in the United States during his time with the New York Cosmos, the club's former COO told Stats Perform.

Brazil legend Pele passed away on Thursday following a battle with colon cancer, with news announced by his daughter after his family travelled to be with him at Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital before Christmas Day.

As well as the lasting legacy he left on Brazil and Santos, Pele's move to the Cosmos in 1975 also helped to massively grow the sport in the United States.

After Pele, the only man to win the World Cup three times, joined the Cosmos, fellow superstars such as Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto followed him to the team, while others such as Johan Cruyff, Eusebio and George Best also joined clubs in the North American Soccer League (NASL).

The Cosmos faded into obscurity and ultimately folded after Pele retired in 1977, but the game continued to develop in the United States and the World Cup in 1994 was hosted in the country.

Erik Stover, COO of a reformed Cosmos between 2012 and 2021, lauded Pele's influence on building the sport, telling Stats Perform: "I don't think you can really quantify it. It's so hugely impactful over generations.

"Before Pele came to the Cosmos, soccer in this country was a very small immigrant sport. Obviously, there's a long history of it in the United States, but it didn't grab the hearts and minds until Pele was part of the Cosmos. 

"He was just still the greatest player in the world [when he signed for Cosmos], probably. It brought immediate credibility to the NASL. It legitimised that league.

"He became the most valuable athlete in the United States overnight. [Those] playing at Bayern Munich or Manchester United or wherever in the world, they were paying attention to it.

"That led to players like George Best and Beckenbauer [joining the NASL], some of the greatest players in the world still in their prime coming to the NASL.

"Suddenly, there's youth soccer clubs popping up and leagues that had never existed before, all on that massive wave of what the Cosmos and Pele was able to do."

Pele was just 17-years-old when he won his first World Cup in 1958, and is still the youngest player to ever win the competition.

Stover acknowledged Pele's enormous global impact from such a young age, adding: "You'd be hard-pressed to find someone that was at a better ambassador globally for his sport.

"He really, really accepted that role and carried it with relish.

"Wherever he went, he drew a crowd and took the time to say hello, pose for pictures, sign autographs from a very, very young age. He realised his specialty was in what responsibilities came with that.

"I was privileged enough to spend some time with him around the world. We went to Havana, Cuba. As an American going to Cuba, I grew up in a time where you couldn't do that.

"So not only to have that opportunity, largely because Pele was still part of the Cosmos, but then to see the love the Cubans had for him, he was absolutely beloved.

"He treated people with respect because he knows that they are going to remember that for the rest of their lives, and he didn't want that moment to be spoiled."

Former Brazil and Santos forward Pepe has paid tribute to ex-team-mate Pele and "the eternal memory of the greatest footballer" following his death aged 82.

The three-time World Cup winner passed away on Thursday following a battle with colon cancer, leaving behind a football world in mourning.

As the Selecao star's team-mate for club and country between 1956 and 1969, fellow Santos attacker Pepe played over 700 games with Pele across their careers.

The pair lifted the Jules Rimet trophy alongside each other in both 1958 and 1962 too, and now the 87-year-old has offered his own respects to his late countryman.

"The whole world knew the seriousness of Pele's illness," Pepe said. "But mainly we, the closest and most intimate, had more contact with him and his family.

"We hoped that the illness would be reversed, and the 'King of the Ball', the greatest of all, would return with his happy smile and his constant good humour.

"But it wasn't possible. Pele left us, and with him [goes] the eternal memory of the greatest footballer of all time. Rest in peace, King Pele, my great friend. Football is in mourning."

Across a 21-year career, Pele played the majority of his club football at Santos, for whom he scored 643 goals in 659 matches, before a subsequent spell with the New York Cosmos.

His tally of 77 international goals for Brazil remains a record matched only by current Selecao forward Neymar, while no other man has replicated his achievement of three World Cup titles.

Pele leaves an "inestimable" legacy after changing football with his "sporting artistry and genius", the Brazil great's former side New York Cosmos said on Thursday.

The three-time World Cup winner's death was confirmed by Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital after he suffered multiple organ failure.

Pele had battled colon cancer prior to his passing, with his family travelling to be alongside him earlier in December after he had been moved to palliative care when his body stopped responding to treatment.

The 82-year-old has been lauded by numerous tributes from sporting greats, clubs and various organisations after his iconic career with Brazil and Santos.

He scored 643 goals in 659 matches over an 18-year period for Brazilian side Santos before representing the Cosmos between 1975 and 1977.

"The New York Cosmos family, past and present, grieve the loss of sporting icon Pele," read a statement from the Cosmos, for whom the forward played in the North American Soccer League.

"In 1975, Pele joined the New York Cosmos and helped popularise soccer across the United States. O Rei treated fans to numerous legendary moments on the pitch, including winning the 1977 NASL Soccer Bowl.

"During three seasons with the Cosmos, Pele helped transform the domestic landscape of the sport of soccer. Where once there had been baseball diamonds, now there were also soccer pitches.

"The Cosmos and their king not only started a sporting revolution in America, they also travelled the world to spread the gospel of the beautiful game, representing the world's most global city at the global game, leaving a lasting sporting legacy in India, China, and Japan, where their visits remain a cherished part of local sporting lore.

"His last game as a professional footballer was played on October 1, 1977, before a sold-out crowd at Giants Stadium and a global television audience.

"Pele played one half each for the only two clubs he ever represented, Santos and the New York Cosmos. Pele's name will forever be synonymous with sporting artistry and genius.

"His lasting impact on the sport of soccer is inestimable. Rest in peace, O Rei."

Pele leaves a legacy "impossible to summarise in words" but FIFA president Gianni Infantino believes the Brazil great "achieved immortality" after his death on Thursday.

Sao Paolo's Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital confirmed multiple organ failure as the cause of death for the three-time World Cup winner, who many consider to be the greatest footballer of all time.

The Santos legend had been battling colon cancer, with his family travelling to join him earlier in December after being moved into palliative care when his body stopped responding to treatment.

The likes of Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazario and Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to the 82-year-old before Infantino joined a plethora of players, clubs and sporting organisations to offer their kind recollections.

"For everyone who loves the beautiful game, this is the day we never wanted to come. The day we lost Pele," Infantino wrote in a statement published by FIFA.

"'O Rei' [The King] was unique in so many ways. He was the only player to have won the World Cup three times and his skill and imagination were incomparable.

"Pele did things that no other player would even dream of, such as the famous dummy in the 1970 World Cup semi-final that became known as the Pele run-around.

"Or the goal he scored in the 1958 World Cup final as a 17-year-old when he flicked the ball over a defender and volleyed it into the net.

"The sight of him punching the air in celebration is one of the most iconic in our sport, and is etched into our history.

"In fact, because televised football was still in his infancy at the time, we only saw small glimpses of what he was capable of."

Pele, who scored 643 goals in 659 matches for Santos over an 18-year period, helped Brazil to World Cup success in 1958, 1962 and 1970 – no player in the tournament's history has won it more often.

He remains the youngest player to ever win the competition and the youngest to score in the final after achieving the remarkable feat when he was just 17 years and 249 days old. 

His 77-goal international haul still stands as a Brazilian record despite Neymar matching the benchmark in Qatar with a quarter-final strike against Croatia, leading Infantino to hail Pele's legacy.

"Most importantly, 'The King' rose to the throne with a smile on his face. Football could be brutal in those days, and Pele was often on the receiving end of some rough treatment," he continued.

"But, while he knew how to stand up for himself, he was always an exemplary sportsman, with genuine respect for his opponents. I had the great privilege of meeting him on several occasions.

"The moments spent with him will forever remain in my memory and in my heart. Pele had a magnetic presence and, when you were with him, the rest of the world stopped.

"His life is about more than football. He changed perceptions for the better in Brazil, in South America and across the world. His legacy is impossible to summarise in words.

"To his family and friends, to CBF [the Brazilian Football Confederation], to Brazil and to all football fans who loved him so much, I express my sincere condolences.

"Today, we all mourn the loss of the physical presence of our dear Pele, but he achieved immortality a long time ago and therefore he will be with us for eternity."

David Beckham thanked Pele for his influence on football and Harry Kane labelled the Brazil great as a "true inspiration" after the Selecao legend's death.

Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital confirmed the three-time World Cup winner's passing on Thursday after suffering multiple organ failure.

The 82-year-old had battled health issues throughout the latter stages of his life, with his family travelling to join him before Christmas Day after he was moved into palliative care following cancer struggles.

Pele remains an icon of the game with many regarding him as the greatest footballer of all time and former England star Beckham paid tribute to the ex-Santos forward.

"It was HIS beautiful game, thank you and goodbye. Rest in peace my friend," Beckham wrote on Instagram.

England captain Kane was quick to offer his well wishes during the World Cup in Qatar when reports over Pele's health continued to circulate.

The Tottenham striker has repeatedly labelled Pele as a reference point for all attackers within the modern game and he echoed that sentiment on Twitter.

"Pele was a true inspiration and one of the greatest to ever play the game. Rest in peace," Kane wrote.

England's Football Association (The FA) also paid respects, posting: "Everyone who loves football, loves Pele. His unique talent lit up the game and inspired the world.

"Our thoughts are with his family, the Brazil Football Confederation and the Brazilian people."

As part of The FA's tributes, Wembley Stadium's iconic arch was lit up in Brazilian yellow and green in honour of the iconic star.

Lionel Messi joined the tributes to Pele after the Brazil great and three-time World Cup winner's death on Thursday.

The 82-year-old had been moved to palliative care early in December after his body stopped responding to cancer treatment.

His family subsequently travelled to be alongside him in Sao Paolo prior to Christmas Day before the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital confirmed Pele's passing after multiple organ failure.

Sporting legends, clubs and organisations have all paid tribute to one of football's greatest players and Argentina superstar Messi shared his own post for the Santos hero.

The 2022 World Cup winner simply wrote on social media: "Rest in peace, @pele."

Pele helped Brazil to global success in 1958, 1962 and 1970, with no player in the tournament's history lifting the trophy more.

His 77-goal international haul still stands as a Brazilian record, though Neymar matched that benchmark with a World Cup quarter-final strike against Croatia in Qatar.

While Pele played a part in three World Cup triumphs, fierce rivals Argentina claimed their third crown at the most recent edition of FIFA's showcase tournament.

Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia joined the iconic Messi in paying tribute to Pele.

A statement read: "The AFA, through its president Claudio Tapia, regrets the death of the legendary Brazilian soccer player Pele, one of the best players in history, and sends warmest hugs to his loved ones and to all of Brazil."

Pele's legacy will "transcend generations" after the Brazil great's death on Thursday, according to Selecao legend Ronaldo Nazario.

The Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in Sao Paolo confirmed multiple organ failure was the cause of death for the 82-year-old, who had battled colon cancer throughout the latter stages of his life.

Pele was accompanied by his family before Christmas Day after he had been moved to palliative care earlier in December when his body had stopped responding to initial cancer treatment.

Tributes have flooded in from numerous sporting icons, clubs and organisations after the passing of whom many regard as the greatest footballer of all time.

Legendary striker Ronaldo followed in the footsteps of the three-time World Cup winner and believes Pele's impact will never diminish.

"Unique. Cool. Technical. Creative. Perfect. One of a kind. Where Pele arrived, he stayed. Without ever leaving the top, he leaves us today," Ronaldo, a two-time World Cup winner himself, wrote on Instagram.

"The king of football – only one, the greatest of all time. The world is mourning. The sadness of parting mixed with the immense pride of the written history.

"What a privilege to come after you my friend, your talent is a school every player should go through. Your legacy will transcend generations. And that's how it will stay alive.

"Today and always, we celebrate you. Thank you, Pele. Rest in peace."