Sports
Brazil says final farewell to ‘King’ Pele
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva led the tributes Tuesday as Brazil said its final farewell to football legend Pele, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time.
After holding three days of national mourning, Brazil has been paying its last respects to the player known as “The King,” who died Thursday at age 82 after a battle with cancer.
Lula, who took office Sunday in a ceremony that started with a minute’s silence for Pele, will travel to the southeastern city of Santos to “pay his respects and tribute” as the 24-hour wake for the late icon draws to a close at 9:00 am (1200 GMT), his office said.
Thousands of fans and football dignitaries, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino, have already filed past Pele’s black coffin at the stadium where he first dazzled the world, the Vila Belmiro, home to his longtime club, Santos FC.
“Pele is eternal. He’s a global icon of football,” Infantino told journalists on Monday, saying football’s governing body would ask all member countries to name a stadium in the player’s honor.
Antonio Carlos Pereira da Silva, a 36-year-old artist, said he had arrived at midnight to be among the first inside when the wake began Monday morning.
“If I said I didn’t cry when he died, I’d be lying,” he told AFP.
“Pele taught us so much. Not just Brazil, but the whole world.”
A man wears a jersey of Brazilian football legend Pele as people queue to get in the Urbano Caldeira stadium, also known as Vila Belmiro, where a wake in his honour is being held, in Santos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)
Neymar, Real Madrid
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele exploded onto the scene at age 15, when he made his professional debut with Santos.
He went on to win the World Cup three times with Brazil, in 1958, 1962 and 1970 — the only player in history to achieve the feat.
Tributes have poured in from around the world since his death, with a Who’s Who of current and former football greats hailing his genius for the “beautiful game.”
The wife of late Brazilian football legend Pele, Marcia Aoki (R), places a rosary on his coffin during his wake at the Urbano Caldeira stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil on January 2, 2023. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP)
A stream of athletes, politicians, dignitaries and fans have traveled to Santos for the ceremony, though turnout may be dented somewhat by the New Year’s holiday weekend.
Pele’s coffin was carried into the stadium Monday morning by pallbearers dressed in black, led by his son Edinho.
A vendor sells posters of Brazilian football legend Pele outside the Urbano Caldeira stadium, also known as Vila Belmiro, where a wake in his honour is being held, in Santos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)
The late icon’s widow, Marcia Cibele Aoki, his third wife, whom he married in 2016, cried before his open casket as she reached out to touch his head. She also placed a rosary in his coffin.
The casket was draped in the flags of Santos and Brazil and was surrounded by white flowers, including bouquets from the likes of Real Madrid or current Brazil star Neymar, whose father was in attendance.
Mourners queue to get in the Urbano Caldeira stadium, also known as Vila Belmiro, where a wake in honour of Brazilian football legend Pele is being held, in Santos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)
Last parade
Other tributes have come in from around Brazil.
At the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation in Rio, a giant poster with Pele’s image bears the word “eternal.”
Pele had been in fragile health, suffering from kidney problems and then colon cancer.
But he remained active on social media, cheering on Brazil from his hospital bed in Sao Paulo during the World Cup in Qatar and consoling the pre-tournament favorites when they were eliminated in the quarter-finals, three weeks before his death.
EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / A flag of Brazil and a flag of Santos are seen on top of the coffin of Brazilian football legend Pele during his wake at the Urbano Caldeira stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP)
The funeral procession through Santos will go past the house of Pele’s mother, 100-year-old Celeste Arantes, who is still alive.
It will end at Santos’s Memorial Cemetery, where a Catholic funeral service will be held before Pele is interred in a special mausoleum.
Captain of the Super Falcons, Rasheedat Ajibade, has said the team is determined to become the best women’s football team in the world.
Ajibade spoke yesterday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a reception hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in honour of the Falcons following their victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The Nigerian ladies clinched their 10th continental title after a hard-fought campaign, further cementing their status as Africa’s most successful women’s team.
Ajibade, in an emotional speech, said the team’s goal goes beyond continental glory.
“We’re not content to rest on our laurels. Our vision is bold. We want to become the best women’s football team in the world,” the Atletico Madrid star said.
She described herself as “a proud daughter of Nigeria” and paid tribute to the dreams of young girls across the country who look up to the team.
“This victory is not just a trophy. It is a testament to the unyielding spirit of Nigeria. It is a celebration of every young girl in our villages, towns, and cities who dares to dream,” she said.
Ajibade, who spoke on behalf of the team, coaches, and technical crew, thanked the Federal Government for its support and appealed for continued investment in women’s football.
President Tinubu, in his address, conferred national honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all 24 players and the 11-member technical crew.
The President also approved the allocation of three-bedroom apartments to each team member under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme and a cash reward of the naira equivalent of $100,000 for each player, while members of the technical team received $50,000 each.
He praised the Falcons for lifting the nation’s spirit and inspiring unity through their performance.
“You have inspired millions, especially young girls who now see proof that their dreams are valid and achievable,” Tinubu said.
“You have inspired me too. You represent the hope of today, tomorrow, and the day after. You ignited that hope. And we will continue to encourage you and the next generation.”
The President said the Falcons’ WAFCON victory was not just a sporting feat but a symbol of the courage, discipline and resilience that define Nigerians.
“Your victory represents more than a sporting accomplishment. It is a triumph of courage, determination, discipline, and consistency,” he said.
The reception was attended by top government officials, sports administrators, and stakeholders in the football community.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Super Falcons on their historic 3-2 comeback victory over hosts Morocco in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
The Falcons, who came from two goals down to seal the win in Rabat, clinched their 10th WAFCON title—further cementing their status as the most successful team in the history of the competition. Reacting to the victory, Oseni described the performance as “a warrior’s triumph that speaks volumes about the indomitable Nigerian spirit.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the team’s resilience should serve as a symbol of hope and unity for the entire nation. “They refused to surrender. That comeback from two goals down defines who we are as Nigerians—strong, focused, and unstoppable when united,” he said.
The Falcons had gone behind in the 13th minute when Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak capitalised on a loose ball to fire past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. The hosts doubled their lead through Sanaâ Mssoudy before halftime, putting Nigeria on the back foot before the break.
However, second-half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi, and Jennifer Echegini turned the game on its head, securing victory for Coach Justin Madugu’s side and avenging their 2024 semi-final loss to the North Africans. Oseni also hailed Madugu’s tactical brilliance, describing him as “the architect of a new chapter in women’s football in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker who also chairs the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) joined other national figures, including President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, in celebrating the Falcons. The President had earlier taken to his verified social media accounts to praise the team’s performance, declaring, “Mission X: Complete!” while Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, described it as a flawless display of Nigerian spirit.
Oseni urged the Falcons not to rest on their laurels but to build on the momentum ahead of their title defence and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “This is just the beginning. You have inspired millions of girls across the continent. Keep flying the flag and keep making Nigeria proud,” he added.
He also called on sports authorities and private stakeholders to invest more in women’s football, noting that the team’s success was proof of the untapped potential in the sector. “We have global stars in the making. Now is the time to give them the platform and support they truly deserve,” the lawmaker submitted.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons produced a thrilling comeback to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final of the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on Saturday, clinching their record-extending 10th continental title.
The win was sweet revenge for Justin Madugu’s side, who were eliminated by the Atlas Lionesses in the semi-finals of the previous edition.
Despite a bright start by the Falcons, it was the Moroccans who struck first in the 13th minute. A loose ball fell kindly to tournament top scorer, Ghizlane Chebbak, who rifled her effort past Chiamaka Nnadozie to hand the hosts an early lead.
Nigeria tried to respond through Ijamilusi Folashade, but her tame effort was easily gathered by Moroccan goalkeeper, Khadija Er-Rmichi.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 28th minute when Fatima Tagnaout released Sanaâ Mssoudy, who drove into the box and fired a low, left-footed strike beyond Nnadozie to make it 2-0.
Morocco maintained their advantage into the break as both sides went into the dressing room with the scoreline firmly in the hosts’ favour.
The Super Falcons returned with renewed purpose in the second half, stepping up their intensity and putting the Moroccan defence under sustained pressure.
Nigeria nearly pulled one back when a collision between Er-Rmichi and defender Nesryne El Chad almost gifted the Falcons a goal, but the Moroccan defence cleared their lines in time.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 63rd minute when a ball hooked back into the area by Ijamilusi struck the arm of defender Nouhaila Benzina, resulting in a penalty. Esther Okoronkwo stepped up and calmly converted from the spot to halve the deficit.
Eight minutes later, Okoronkwo turned provider, sprinting down the right flank before cutting back a well-timed pass for Ijamilusi, who made no mistake from close range to level the tie at 2-2.
The Falcons completed their sensational comeback in the 88th minute when Jennifer Echegini reacted quickest to a deep free-kick, stabbing home from close range to spark wild celebrations on the Nigerian bench.
The victory sees Nigeria reinforce their dominance in African women’s football, securing their 10th WAFCON title and reasserting their status as the queens of the continent.
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