Death of Pelé: Estadio Bello Horizonte (COL), the first stadium renamed in tribute to the Brazilian

The Estadio Bello Horizonte (15,000 capacity), located in Villavicencio, Colombia, will be renamed "Bello Horizonte Rey Pelé" in honour of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, who died on 29/12/2022. "The future generations should know who this icon of world football was. We have accepted FIFA’s suggestion," announced Juan Guillermo Zuluaga, governor of the department of Meta where the city is located, on 05/01/2023.

"Thank you, Juan Guillermo Zuluaga and the government of Meta department, for this beautiful tribute to the eternal King Pelé," reacted Gianni Infantino. Present in Santos (Brazil) on 02/01/2023 to attend Pele's funeral, the FIFA president had suggested to the 211 member associations of the body that they rename at least one stadium in their country in memory of the Brazilian and three-time World Cup winner (1958, 1962 and 1970).

The Estadio da Rocha in the city of Bafatá (Guinea-Bissau) will also be renamed Pelé Stadium, announced the country's government on 05/01/2023. An initiative also envisaged by Cape Verde, which proposed changing the name of the Estádio…