Pelé monument unveiled in Guadalajara before 2026 World Cup matches

GUADALAJARA, Mexico: Mexican officials yesterday presented a major new monument to Pelé in Guadalajara, honouring the football icon's record with Brazil's national side.

Pelé died in 2022 at 82. Among his three World Cup wins, one came in Mexico, where Brazil lifted the trophy at the 1970 tournament.

"This monumental figure of this great player, who played here and scored a great goal, is a great gift to the people of Jalisco and to all visitors," Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus said. "Pelé loved Guadalajara, and the Brazilian national team fell in love with it because the Mexican public gave them everything in 1970."

The statue stands 9.5 metres, or 31 feet, and has been placed at Plaza Brazil, a public square beside Jalisco Stadium. The venue staged World Cup fixtures in both 1970 and 1986.

During Brazil's successful 1970 campaign, the team used Jalisco Stadium for their group-stage games, quarter-final and semi-final. They later defeated Italy in the final at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

"People who come to the Jalisco Stadium now will stop to take pictures. This statue will be a landmark, especially since it depicts a football star like Pelé," Lemus said. "It’s a great gift for the World Cup."

Guadalajara is scheduled to host four first-round matches at the 2026 World Cup: South Korea against Czech Republic on June 12; Mexico against South Korea on June 18; Colombia against Congo on June 23; and Uruguay against Spain on June 26.