Pele: Like Cape Verde, Two More Countries Rename Stadiums After Legend

• President of FIFA Gianni Infantino urged countries to immortalise late football legend Pele
• The world football chief pleaded with nations to rename a stadium after the Brazilian icon
• Cape Verde renamed a stadium after Pele, and now two more countries have also done so

Two more countries have renamed stadiums after the late Brazilian football icon, Pele, who passed away on December 29.

The three-time FIFA World Cup winner had battled colon cancer for some time before he eventually succumbed to the disease.

In his honour, FIFA president Gianni Infantino urged all member nations to name a stadium after the Brazilian superstar, who is tagged the ‘greatest of all time’.

Cape Verde became the first nation to heed FIFA’s call, renaming the 15,000-seater Estadio Nacional de Cabo Verde, located just outside the capital of Praia, after the late Brazilian.

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They have now been joined by both Guinea-Bissau and Colombia. The west African nation's Bissau government announced that their facility in Bafata will be named after Pele.

According to the statement, a decision was reached by the Guinean head of state and the council of ministers, to recognise Pele as the 'king of world football', via The Cable:

“As a result and as an expression of public recognition of the status of King of World Football that is granted to him [Pele], the Council of Ministers decided to name the Regional State of Bafatá ‘Pele Stadium’ in response to the appeal of the president of FIFA.”

Similarly, the governor of Colombia’s southern metro department, Juan Guillermo Zuluaga announced that the 15,000-capacity Villavicencio stadium would bear Pele’s name.

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He said:

“From the Colombian plains, we announce to the world that our wonderful stadium in Villavicencio will be called Bello Horizonte 'Rey Pelé'. The future generations should know who this icon of world football was. We have accepted FIFA’s suggestion.”

Why Neymar missed Pele’s funeral

Sports Brief earlier reported that it was not lost on many people that Neymar did not attend the funeral of football legend Pele on Monday.

Hundreds of people, including FIFA president Infantino, arrived at the stadium of Santos to pay their last respect to the icon, during his 24-hour public wake.

It is believed the 30-year-old was not released by Paris Saint-Germain to attend the funeral, with additional reports stating Neymar himself decided it was not a good time to travel to Brazil.