Pele dies: Premier League confirms tributes to Brazil great

Premier League teams will wear black armbands and partake in a minute’s silence before all matches across the coming weekend in memory of Brazil great Pele.

The three-time World Cup winner died at Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital on Thursday.

Pele had been admitted to hospital earlier this month amid reports his body had stopped responding to treatment for colon cancer. He was 82.

Tributes flooded in from across the sporting world for the man many consider to be the greatest footballer of all time and among the sport’s most iconic figures.

Brazil declared a three-day period of national mourning ahead of Pele’s funeral, which is set to take place on Monday.

The world of football will continue to commemorate the Brazil legend over the coming days, and the Premier League plans to salute his legacy during all matches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in England’s top flight.

A statement read: “In tribute to Pele, Premier League clubs will remember his contribution to football at matches taking place from Friday 30 December-Sunday 1 January (Matchweek 18) by holding a minute’s applause prior to kick-offs.

In tribute to Pele, Premier League clubs will remember his contribution to football during Matchweek 18 (Dec 30-Jan 1) by holding a minute’s applause prior to kick-offs. Players and match officials will wear black armbands. https://t.co/BpufJGGcda

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 30, 2022

“Players and match officials will wear black armbands.”

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 feats when he was just 17 years and 249 days old.

Pele’s 77-goal international haul still stands as a Brazilian record despite Neymar matching the benchmark in Qatar with a quarter-final strike against Croatia.